


Glory and Gore

by HoneyHyucks



Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Alternate Universe, College Student! Mark, M/M, Underground Fighter! Hyuck, Underground Fighting Ring, markhyuck, underground fighting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 91,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22765843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyHyucks/pseuds/HoneyHyucks
Summary: Usually, Mark went home on Sundays, he went to church and had dinner with his parents afterwards, and then he spent the rest of his night catching up on homework.But that night, Mark Lee spent his first Sunday in Seochu Underground getting beat to a bloody pulp, courtesy of his new headache –  Lee Donghyuck.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Huang Ren Jun/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Kim Jungwoo, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Lee Taeyong/Moon Taeil, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le, onesided!hyuckhei
Comments: 184
Kudos: 377





	1. Seochu Underground

[glory and gore playlist ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7dY5kkDcjeffcVk0NRnmGr)

It’s a Sunday, the day Mark first goes to the underground.

He’s standing beside his cousin on the subway, unable to keep still. Jeno’s dark hair is damp, falling into his face, barely covering his black eye. Despite the bruise, he still earns admiring looks from the girls (and a few boys, Mark notes), who trail their eyes over his jaw and the hint of muscles beneath his leather jacket. Jeno isn’t paying them much attention – instead, he’s staring ahead with a barely there smirk. He’d been excited to bring Mark to the underground. He had talked his cousin’s head off about it for weeks before Mark finally gave in.

At first, he had been cautious.

Mark knew his cousin to be a good person, overall. Jeno did well at the university, he was polite and kind to everyone he met, and Mark had fun when they were together. But then his cousin began to show up with bruises, a newfound smoking habit, and a certain… aggressive air about him that made Mark both worried and confused by the sudden nature of his cousin’s change. But, bruises and nicotine addiction aside, somehow Jeno was still the same, despite his new habits. He still remained at the top of his classes, he still smiled politely whenever Mark’s mother would invite him over for dinner, and he still let Mark win the basketball game at the arcade out of pity.

But it was still difficult to ignore the way he pulled out cigarettes without warning and then there was the fact that the once patient, sweet Lee Jeno, had become extremely easy to set off. The thing that set him off the most, or rather, the person that stirred up this rather unpleasant side of his cousin was his friend that he only referred to as “Nana”, and he did so with such fond carefulness and an almost delirious smile that it made Mark wonder just how much of an influence this “Nana” had over his cousin.

He soon found out that Jeno _liked_ Nana, so much that he got upset when he got too close with other people. Mark has had plenty of nights where he’s crawled out of bed and opened his room door to find a dejected Jeno standing there, bruised and sometimes bloody, ready to rant about how yet another boy has asked Nana out and, jealous and upset, Jeno had ended up fighting them. It was a continuous cycle that left Mark confused and worried for his cousin until one night, they came back to their dorm drunk, stumbling into Mark’s room.

The two boys had collapsed on his bed, lying beside each other in content, drunken silence until Jeno had hiccupped and slurred out a quiet, “Hyung?”

Slowly, Mark had looked over at his cousin to find the other boy staring up at the ceiling with low, tired eyes.

“I like him so much, it scares me sometimes.” The confession had been quiet, even in the silence of Mark’s room.

And Mark himself already knew that his cousin had been thinking of the one person he always thought about when he wasn’t concerning himself with school or being the best person that he could be to those around him. That night, Jeno had cried and Mark had done his best to console him (which mostly meant a few awkward pats on the back and telling horribly corny jokes until Jeno finally laughed, face flushed as he told Mark that he was embarrassing). But that night, Mark also wondered what it was like, to like someone so much that it hurt. He’s not sure if he wants to find out.

He’s never really had anyone special in his life, now that he thinks about it. It’s always just been normal – it’s always just been Mark.

In middle school, he hung out with his few friends that only included a few more people in high school, but mostly everyone liked him. He lived in a normal suburban neighborhood where his parents treated him well, and his neighbors adored him. When college rolled around, not much had changed. Mark decided to study biology, and to his relief, a year later, his cousin Jeno got accepted to into the universities’ kinesiology program. They became roommates and college got a bit less lonely for Mark. But now, Jeno has been spending less time at the dorm and more time at places that he refused to tell Mark about – at least, until today.

Now, after dragging Mark away from his research paper and treating him to lunch, he had informed the older boy with his eye-crinkling smile that he was taking him to meet Nana.

Mark immediately stopped worrying about the research paper waiting for him back at the dorm. He also felt a bit nervous. Though he knew Jeno wanted him to meet this Nana to get at least one family member’s approval of the boy, for Mark, it felt as if it were the other way around. What if this Nana person disliked him? Mark glances at his cousin then. Surely, Jeno wouldn’t pick some crush over him?

But then, Mark thinks of the night Jeno had cried and how many times before that his cousin had come to him, frustrated about his feelings for this person, and he realizes that it’s much more than a crush. Despite his worries, Mark is actually relieved to finally meet Jeno’s boy… _friend_. At least one mystery would be solved. Jeno’s bruises, new smoking habit, and aggressive behavior would have to wait, for now. Mark studies his cousin’s calm, indifferent profile and he feels compelled to say something.

“How’s your eye?” He winces as soon as it leaves his mouth, but Jeno just glance at him and snorts out a laugh.

“I actually forgot about it.” He admits, rubbing the back of his neck before shrugging, “I guess I’m just so used to it by now.”

 _And why is that_ , Mark wants to ask, but the question dies down in his throat. Instead, he nods and tries not to be a bit grossed out by how the purple around the younger’s eye is turning that sickly yellowish color.

“Won’t it freak your friend out?” He asks, to which Jeno snorts, both at Mark referring to Nana as his friend and at the question itself.

“No.” He answers casually before he smirks in amusement, adding quietly in a way that Mark is probably not meant to hear, “He probably has one of his own.”

Mark frowns, unsure as to why Jeno’s boy… _friend_ would have a black eye as well. Was he a violent person? Mark’s frown deepens. What if his cousin had gotten his newfound aggression from this Nana person? Suddenly, Mark felt a bit protective. Maybe Nana was a bad influence on Jeno… but there was only one way to find out.

“This is our stop.” Jeno announces suddenly as the they pull to a stop that Mark doesn’t recognize.

When the doors open, Mark is quick to grab his cousin’s hand as people begin to file out onto the platform. Jeno smiles, polite enough not to point out how the roles have reversed for them, and how Mark now looks like the younger cousin in need of protection as he clings to Jeno. They step out into the platform and almost immediately, Jeno leads them to the left, away from the train and the crowd. Mark frowns in confusion, but he doesn’t question it until he realizes they’re headed towards the tunnels.

“Uh Jeno-“ He starts but his cousin is quick to give him an assuring smile.

“Just trust me, hyung.” He says, all sweet, polite, and trusting – all Jeno, so that Mark can only fall silent and do as asked.

Jeno leads him to the edge of the platform where he looks at Mark, who’s face flushes when he realizes he’s still clinging to his cousin. He removes his hand from the younger, watching with slight worry as Jeno hesitates before jumping down into the tunnel. He looks back expectantly at Mark then as if to say _it’s your turn_. Mark has never imagined himself jumping from a subway platform, but for some odd reason, he’s grabbing the edge and jumping down before he realizes it. Jeno greets him with a warm smile at the bottom, grabbing his hand and leading him into the tunnel.

It’s dark and Mark’s heart is racing because a train could come at any moment and catch them both by surprise. But Jeno doesn’t seem to be worried at all. He leads the way with confidence, walking through the darkness with ease when suddenly, he turns at a juncture Mark has to squint to see. It’s another tunnel, much smaller and even darker than the main one. Jeno bends his head a bit so that he can fit, and Mark does the same. He holds tightly to Jeno’s hand as his cousin leads them through the small tunnel. It’s several minutes before Mark begins to see the faintest hint of light ahead. He felt a bit relieved, being in the cramped tunnel was starting to feel suffocating. They make it to the end of the tunnel where Mark lets go of his cousin’s hand just before they step out.

The first breath of fresh air is only a brief relief to Mark before he finally takes in their surroundings. They’re in a city, that much is obvious, with it’s crowded traffic and tall buildings. But the buildings were old and falling apart, a group of taxi drivers were fighting in the middle of the street and as they did, beggars stole from their cars, the walkways were filled with trash that blew in the wind, and the sky was a washed out murky gray slate that gave the place an ominous feeling.

“Is this where Nana lives?” Mark can’t help but ask. He winces when he realizes how classist he sounds but he can’t help it. Jeno nods enthusiastically

“And my other friends,” He adds, to which Mark is left to wonder what he means. He hadn’t mentioned any other friends, but before he can question his cousin, Jeno holds out his arms and declares with a warm smile, “Welcome to Seochu Underground, hyung.”

“Seochu Underground,” Mark repeats quietly under his breath. He takes in the city once more and wonders how he’s never heard of it – the city underground.

But then, Jeno is grabbing his hand and pulling him along. Mark tries to ignore the fighting taxi drivers, the looters who almost knock them over trying to get away with the driver’s things, and the fact that they practically have to play hopscotch to avoid all of the trash on the ground. Jeno leads him around several corners and across a few streets before they finally stop in front of an old, gray building that Mark looks at wearily.

Jeno pulls him up the stairs and into the building. They head up a set of stairs to the very top where he hesitates before knocking in some sort of pattern that Mark figures is a code. Mark gives his cousin a look that says _you have a lot of explaining to do_ but Jeno just gives him a sheepish smile, cheeks tinged pink before the sound of locks being undone catches their attention. The door opens a crack to which Mark raises a brow.

“Oh, it’s just you.” The person on the other side says before the door is swinging open, “I thought you were the cops again.”

“Again?” Jeno frowns as he steps inside the apartment, “They’ve been coming around here?”

“Not really the cops. More so the social workers to ask why Jisung isn’t in school anymore.” The other person replies and when Mark steps inside the door closes and he’s met with the sight of a boy who’s brown hair is tucked behind his ear, a pair of specs resting on his nose. He’s wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt that’s several sizes too big and his black sweats are rolled at the ankle.

“He still won’t go back?” Jeno asks, looking somewhat concerned. The brunet boy shakes his head.

“And I can’t make him.” He says with a shrug, “But whatever. It’s not that important. Besides, what are they going to do, take us to court?”

“Yes?” Mark blurts out before he can stop himself. He couldn’t help but listen to the conversation, of course, but he hadn’t meant to let his thoughts slip out. The brunet boy gives him a look that says _who the hell are you_ but Jeno is quick to diffuse the situation.

“Renjun, this is my cousin, Mark.” He introduces motioning to the brunet boy, “Mark, this is Renjun.”

Renjun grunts by way of greeting and Mark is not sure how to respond so he simply nods.

“You hungry?” Renjun asks, apparently a question for both Mark and Jeno.

“We ate not too long ago.” Jeno answers for them to which Renjun snorts.

“That’s too bad. I’m making spaghetti.” He tells them leading the way to the kitchen with Mark and Jeno behind him. The kitchen is bigger than the small hallway they had been cramped in. Several cereal boxes fill the top of the fridge, the counters, and even the table where Jeno seats himself at. Mark stands hesitantly in the doorway, watching as Renjun pulls the top off a pot of orange mush that Mark sincerely hopes he isn’t calling spaghetti.

“Where’s Nana?” Jeno asks, and in the brief span of meeting Renjun, Mark had forgotten what they originally came for.

“In bed,” Is Renjun’s absentminded reply as he stirs around his “spaghetti”, “He’s not feeling well. I think he hurt his back in last night’s fight.”

Mark frowns, several thoughts running through his head, but the thing that stuck out the most was Renjun’s causal mention of a fight. But before he can really think on it, Jeno is frowning and standing from the chair, disappearing from the kitchen in the blink of an eye. Mark is left with Renjun who’s too busy dumping so much pepper in the pot that it makes him cough. It’s awkward, so Mark heads into the hallway and tries to figure out where his cousin has gone.

The end of the hall presents a series of four bedrooms, three are closed so Mark takes the risk of heading to the one at the left end of the hall that’s open. He makes his way to the door and is relieved at the sight of his cousin. Jeno is on his knees beside the bed where a person is curled up in the sheets, only a head of light brown hair peeking out. Jeno pulls the covers back, gently running his hand across the figure’s back.

“Nana” Jeno says softly, “I want you to meet someone.”

The covers ruffle a bit before Mark is presented with one of the most beautiful faces he’s ever seen.

“Mark, right? I’m Jaemin, but Jeno calls me Nana.” Jaemin is smiling all teeth, warm brown eyes, and gorgeously defined facial features that helps Mark to understand why Jeno is so smitten. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Jeno talks about you a lot.”

At this, Mark raises a brow, tempted to say something cliché like _I could say the same about you_. But he’s too surprised – Jeno had talked about him? Perhaps he should give his cousin more credit.

“You do?” Mark smiles at his cousin but Jeno just looks bashful, face flushed a faint pink that makes Jaemin coo and pinch his cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jaemin. I guess this is where Jeno has been spending all of his time now.”

Jeno looks a bit embarrassed at his cousin’s playful jab, but Jaemin is there to save the day.

“He’s been wanting to bring you, but I was hesitant to let him.” The brown-haired boy admits, “As you can probably tell by now, this city isn’t exactly the safest… or the most pleasant looking either.”

Mark thinks of the fighting taxi drivers, the looters, the trash filled streets, and the old, worn buildings, and he finds that he can’t disagree.

“I’ve never heard of this place.” Mark admits to which Jaemin smiles in a way that says he’s not surprised.

“Not many people have.” He says instead before he mutters, “Seochu, the forgotten city underground.”

And Mark wants to ask why the city is underground, why the streets are filled with trash, and how Jaemin and Renjun came to live there, but Jeno looks a bit desperate to change the subject.

“Junie says you hurt your back.” Jeno says, grabbing the heating pad from Jaemin’s bedside before he climbs into bed, positioning himself behind the other boy.

“Jeno” Jaemin whines when the other boy starts to lift his shirt. Jeno doesn’t realize anything is wrong until he remembers Mark’s presence in the room. He gives his cousin a sheepish smile, face flushed as he simply presses the heating pad against Jaemin’s back before lowering the other boy’s shirt. And Mark is left to really wonder about Jeno and his boy… _friend_. Jaemin laughs despite the awkwardness of it all before he smiles at Mark warmly, “Want to play Mario Kart?”

“Is Jeno playing?” Mark asks to which Jaemin laughs loudly, immediately understanding the question’s context and Mark likes his cousin’s boy… _friend_ already.

“He’s awful, right?” Jaemin says to which Jeno simply whines, burying his face in the other boy’s shoulder. Mark is surprised by his cousin’s behavior but Jaemin appears to be used to it. He flashes Mark another smile, “No worries, I can get us a third person easily.”

Mark then watches as he shouts –

“Jisungie! Come play Mario Kart with us!”

There’s silence at first before someone else calls back.

“Only if I can be Bowser!”

“Okay!” Jaemin agrees, rolling his eyes in a way that makes Mark smile in amusement. The sound of footsteps catches their attention before a tall, lanky blond comes hurrying into the room, nearly running into Mark in the process. Jaemin mutters something along the lines of him being cute before he introduces them both, “Jisung, this is Mark hyung, Jeno’s cousin. Mark, this is Jisung, our youngest.”

“Do you have to say that?” Jisung complains, pouting as he seats himself at the edge of Jaemin’s bed, “I’m eighteen now.”

“You are _baby_.” Renjun appears in the doorway with a grin. He jumps on the bed and ruffles Jisung’s hair. Mark takes note of how his sleeves are rolled up and some of his arms are stained orange from his “spaghetti”.

“Who all is playing Mario Kart?” Jeno, who has abandoned Jaemin briefly to turn on the gaming console, asks. Jaemin raises his hand, and so does Jisung once he’s managed to remove himself from Renjun’s hold, and Renjun himself holds up his hand as well, declaring that he _will_ be Yoshi.

“I’ll play.” Mark says before he rubs at the back of his neck awkwardly, “But it is okay if I use your bathroom first?” 

“It’s at the other end of the hall, the last door on the right.” Jaemin informs him kindly before turning his attention to where Jisung and Renjun are arguing over whether Yoshi or Bowser is better and Jeno is arguing that Princess Peach is elite in her own way. Mark watches them briefly and he can’t help but to smile before he turns to leave. No wonder Jeno spent so much time here – it felt like a family.

Mark makes his way down the dark hallway, stopping at the door on the right only to realize that the one on the left was now open as well. The door was cracked but music could be heard coming from the room. Suddenly curious, Mark lingers in the middle of hall before finally, he creeps closer towards the room on the left. He decides to take one quick look then head to the bathroom. But, when he peeks in the room, what he sees has him unable to look away. The room is old, the wooden floors a dull gray and the white wallpaper, chipped and worn. But it appears that its owner attempted to modernize it with a bed with black covers messily thrown on top, a drawer with a record player on top, a few vinyl’s lining the walls (one that Mark distantly recognizes as Michael Jackson’s Bad vinyl), a television in one corner and an old desk with a laptop covered in stickers sitting atop it.

At the desk is a boy who’s side profile Mark takes in slowly. He’s dressed in jeans and a jean jacket, and Mark realizes, face burning slightly, that the boy isn’t wearing a shirt beneath it. He can see small hints of the boy’s bare chest with each movement of his arm as he works to do his eyeliner using a handheld mirror. His brown hair is curled slightly, and his mouth is open as he concentrates on outlining his hazy brown eyes. Mark watches as he finishes his task, admiring his makeup in the mirror.

“Does it look okay?” He asks suddenly, making Mark frown. Surely the boy hadn’t noticed him, but then he watches as the brunet smirks shifting the mirror to reveal him standing in the doorway. The boy turns in his chair then to face Mark with a smirk, “If you’re going to watch me then you could at least answer my question.”

“S-Sorry” Mark blurts out to which the boy scoffs, standing from his chair to approach Mark. Mark himself steps back, trying not to look at the boy’s bare chest or the bruises on his cheekbones that reveal themselves under the faint lighting. “I was looking for the bathroom.”

He realizes it’s a lame excuse and it doesn’t cover him watching the other boy. As if to prove his point, the other boy scoffs again, slamming his hand on the doorframe.

“Then turn around.” He says before slamming the door shut in Mark’s face.

Mark stares at the door, face flushed from embarrassment as he tries to make out what has just happened.

“Hyung?” A voice calls out and when he looks over, Jeno is approaching with Renjun behind him.

“Don’t mind Hyuck.” Renjun tells Mark, “He’s just mad that he lost to Hendery last night.”

“Did not!” Shouts the brunet boy from his room so loudly that Mark nearly jumps. In fact, he does when the door comes flying open and the boy rushes out, wrapping his arms around Renjun’s neck, “Stop spreading lies, bastard.”

“It’s not a lie, Barney.” Renjun replies, pointing to the boy’s bruised cheeks that were hinting on purple. Donghyuck curses, tightening his hold on the other boy.

“That’s Donghyuck, but we call him Hyuck.” Jeno says, motioning to the brunet that Mark had been watching, “He’s really sweet.”

In that same moment, Donghyuck slams Renjun against the wall. His rescue comes in the form of Jisung, who makes his way down the hall with Jaemin behind him. The blond grabs the back of Donghyuck’s jacket, pulling him away from Renjun enough for the Huang boy to tackle Donghyuck, the two crashing to the floor in a series of punches and kicks that makes Mark wonder why no one is making a move to break it up.

“Is this normal?” Mark tries to ask his cousin discreetly but Jaemin overhears.

“Very” Jaemin answers for him, wrapping the blanket he’s taken with him further around his shoulders before he adds with a smirk, “Except Jeno is usually down there with them,”

At the admittance, Jeno rubs the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. Mark was surprised but things were beginning to make sense for him. Perhaps this was how Jeno got his bruises?

“Cut it out.” Donghyuck says suddenly, bucking Renjun off of him. The Huang boy goes flying off of him, back hitting the ground roughly, but he simply sits up quickly as if he’s used to it. Donghyuck sits up as well, running a hand through his hair, “You’re going to mess up my hair. I want to look good for the fight tonight.”

“Of course you do.” Renjun rolls his eyes, “It’s Yukhei’s championship match, and you want him to notice your sparkling ass on the front row.”

“What does he have to do with anything?” Donghyuck replies, finally buttoning up his jacket. He pauses in doing so, glancing at Mark, who flushes and quickly looks away when he realizes he’s been staring. Donghyuck smirks before he adds, “Can’t I just look good for myself?”

“You could but we all know that loud ass glittery eye shadow screams ‘I’m a slut for all things Wong Yukhei’.” Renjun tells him, grinning when Donghyuck kicks him.

“You would know about thirsting after men you can’t have, Renjun.” Donghyuck says with a smirk, “If given the chance, I’m sure you’d drink Jaemin and Jeno’s bath water in one go-“

At this, Renjun’s eyes widen before he tackles Donghyuck once more, the two boys continuing their wrestling match. Jaemin smirks at Donghyuck’s words while Jeno looks a bit surprised and Jisung rolls his eyes.

“Who’s Wong Yukhei?” Mark asks, the only one confused by the entire conversation. Jeno is still too shocked by Donghyuck’s words to help him but luckily, Jisung hears.

“You must not be from around here…hyung?” Jisung asks, clearly used to only speaking casually with the others.

“I’m from Seoul.” Mark informs him, watching as Jisung winces.

“Don’t tell anyone else that.” He says to which Mark frowns. But before he can question the younger, Jisung is tugging at Jeno’s leg, asking, “Is he coming to the fight with us?”

“What fight?” Mark asks to which Jisung looks at Jeno and shakes his head.

Jaemin decides to take over then, he grabs the back of Jisung’s shirt and ushers him along, all the while directing a fighting Renjun and Donghyuck towards his room, glancing back at Jeno with a look that says _now’s the time to tell him everything_ before the room door closes behind them. Mark turns to his cousin then with a look that demands answers.

“Ah hyung…” Jeno starts awkwardly, smiling bashfully, “I guess I should tell you what’s been going on.”

“I’d love to finally hear all about it, Jeno.” Mark’s response is sarcastic at best, but he can’t help it. He hates being out of the loop.

“Sorry, I’ve been wanting to tell you, I just didn’t know how. Like Nana said, I’ve been wanting you to come but he thought this side of town might turn you off since it’s so different from ours. Anyway, I finally convinced him to let me bring you. I wanted you to meet him and come with us to tonight’s fight.” Jeno explains quickly and before Mark can ask about the fight, he continues, “You see, Seochu is known for being underground, but it’s best known for its fighting ring – Seochu Underground. They host fights between different fighters each night, and sometimes groups. You have to buy a ticket to get in and you can also bet on the fighters. Whoever wins, gets all of the money. The more you win, the more bets you get and vice versa. It’s how they make a living here – Donghyuck, Nana, and even Jisung now. It’s how everyone makes a living in Seochu…even me.”

“Even you?” Mark frowns, “Jeno-“

“I know. I shouldn’t be fighting.” Jeno cuts him off, “But I don’t do it for me. I do it to help pay for the apartment. It’s extra cash for them and it really helps. This year, we were able to get Jisung a cake for his birthday when we couldn’t even afford one last year.”

Mark finds himself silenced by not only his cousin’s words but the sincerity in Jeno’s voice and eyes as he speaks of what Mark believes is a second family to him. Their family wasn’t wealthy, but Jeno had a good life in Seoul – they had a decent home, his parents had nice jobs, and Jeno went to university with much of his education already paid for. He didn’t need to fight in an underground ring to make a living. But as he had said, he wasn’t doing it for himself. Mark realizes that the boys he’s met today mean more to his cousin than he probably realizes, and while he should feel betrayed that Jeno has been living an entirely different life behind his back, he finds that he’s more curious than anything.

“I was wondering where these kept coming from.” Mark says, motioning to Jeno’s black eye before he raises a brow, “And the cigarettes?”

“Oh, I kind of picked that up on my own.” Jeno rubs at the back of his neck, “Nana is always nagging at me to quit, but it helps with the stress.”

Mark would rather hear his cousin promise to quit, but he’ll work on that later. For now, he needs more answers.

“How often do you all fight?” Is his next question.

“Every other Friday, for me.” Jeno informs him, “ Renjun doesn’t fight. He handles the apartment – managing our money, buying groceries, cooking, and he used to teach Jisung before he turned old enough to teach himself. Jisung turned eighteen last week. He had his first fight that same night and won. Nana doesn’t fight often because he gets injured easily. Actually, I want to eventually make enough myself so that he doesn’t have to do it anymore. And Donghyuck has just entered the championships – he’s the best, really.”

“Championships?” Mark repeats with a surprised look, “He’s that good?”

Jeno nods enthusiastically.

“He doesn’t look like much of a fighter, but he’s the best.” He informs his cousin, “He’s also a good friend. He makes each night in Seochu worth it – they all do.”

Even in the dark hallway, Mark can see the emotion in his cousin’s eyes as he talks about his friends and he thinks its kind of funny how Jeno had been fighting underground and having dinner with his second family while Mark sat in his biology lectures, wondering if his roommate would be home when he got there. But it all makes sense now, and Mark is ready to see even more.

“How much is a championship ticket?” He asks to which Jeno’s eyes widen (a small part of him was expecting his cousin to scold him and demand they leave) before he breaks out into a smile.

“No worries, I’ve got you covered!” A voice exclaims before Renjun, who had apparently been eavesdropping with the others, comes rushing out of Jaemin’s room, holding up a ticket, “It’s Hyuck’s but he doesn’t need it. He gets in free for being a part of the championships.”

Mark accepts the ticket from Renjun, staring at the small slip of paper filled with pictures of fighters that he doesn’t recognize.

“Speaking of championships, let’s go. I want to get good seats.” Donghyuck announces, leading the way towards the front door with an eager looking Jisung and a tired but excited looking Jaemin behind him.

“What he really means is he wants to be front row so he can drool over Xuxi-“ Renjun teases, flinching when Donghyuck turns to him angrily.

“Now, now kids, no more fighting.” Jaemin steps in between the two, placing his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders to guide him towards the front door, “We need to get there early if we want to get good seats for Mark’s first fight.” 

Donghyuck promises that he’s going to beat Renjun’s ass when they get back (which is putting it lightly, Mark thinks), Jisung is begging Jeno to buy him popcorn when they get there, and Mark watches them go before he shakes his head, smiles, and follows.

_______________________

Seochu’s Underground fighting ring is huge.

It’s the biggest building in the entire city, hovering over the old, worn city in its stature. The line to see the match is wrapped around the corner, but Donghyuck confidently leads them inside ahead of it. People shout and call out in excitement at the sight of the brunet boy. But Donghyuck merely offers them a smile in response, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself since it wasn’t his night. As Renjun had said, Donghyuck is let in for free with a congratulations and a wide smile from the ticket master, while the others show their tickets. Mark is the last to present his ticket. The ticket master glances at him, his outfit, and the designer labels on some of the tags, and makes a comment about “surfacers” before letting them through.

Though the others swear they’ve arrived early, the place is already packed. People are shouting and yelling, passing money between their sweaty palms. Vendors are rushing around with greasy hot dogs, fries, and buckets of popcorn, which Jeno makes sure to stop and buy for Jisung, who claims he’s his favorite hyung (only to receive a claim from Donghyuck that he said the same thing last week when he bought him fries at the last match). The stadium seats are just as packed with people chatting eagerly about the match. Mark looks at the screen overhead where pictures of the opponents could be seen. The first is of a tan boy that Mark found to be rather good looking. In the picture, he’s smiling in a way that doesn’t scream underground fighter to Mark and beneath his grinning face is the name “Wong Yukhei”.

His opponent is a pale boy with dark hair who’s name Mark doesn’t get the chance to read before Jeno is grabbing his hand and dragging him after the others. Donghyuck leads them to the very front row where they receive a warm reception. People clap Donghyuck on the back, congratulating him for entering the championships and Mark watches as the confident boy from before is reduced to shy smiles and faint grins. Jisung plops down in a chair, stuffing popcorn in his mouth and pouting when Renjun, who sits beside him, shoves his hand in the bag as well. Jeno makes a makeshift pillow out of his jacket for Jaemin, who sits down and leans back against it with a content smile. Mark sits down next to his cousin, watching as Donghyuck approaches a brunet man standing beside the ring, wearing a button down and a nervous smile.

“Hyung!” Donghyuck greets with a smile, “How many bets has Xuxi gotten tonight?”

“Enough to get him out of this God forsaken city.” The brunet tells Donghyuck before finally informing him, “Five thousand,”

“Now that’s what I call championship money!” Renjun exclaims, Jaemin wiping the butter from around his mouth, only for his efforts to prove useless when Renjun shoves another handful in his mouth.

“That’s Kun, Yukhei’s manager.” Jeno informs Mark, nodding at the brunet man Donghyuck was speaking with, “He handles Yukhei’s bets, makes sure his health is good, and keeps him focused on his matches. You know, the typical managerial things.”

“Do you have a manager?” Mark asks, glancing at his cousin.

“We have the same manager.” Jaemin speaks up, “But Doyoung hyung doesn’t come unless it’s our matches.”

“He says it smells too much of sweat and desperation.” Jisung adds with a smirk before holding up his bag of food, “And popcorn”

“Is that a good idea?” Mark wonders, looking at his cousin, “Shouldn’t he be helping you scope out the competition?”

“There is no competition.” Donghyuck, who’s returned to them, says before Jeno can reply. He doesn’t even bother to sit down. Instead he stands, the stadium lights reflected in his warm brown eyes as he adds, “It’s just you and the ring.”

There is no mention of an opponent or the need to win. But before Mark can question it, a loud blaring sound echoes in the stadium, signaling that the fight is about to begin. Mark turns his attention to the ring just as the boy he recognizes as Yukhei steps into the ring. The crowd goes wild. Jisung nearly chokes on his popcorn trying to cheer, Renjun reminds Mark of the girls from high school with the way he blushes, cheering loudly while fanning his face, Jaemin smirks in amusement at Renjun, and Jeno looks very proud of Yukhei. Donghyuck is the only silent one, oddly enough. He’s watching the ring with an intensity that Mark isn’t expecting from him, almost as if he’s the one with his championship nomination on the line tonight.

“Come on Xuxi” He watches Donghyuck murmur, mouth twitching into a smile when Yukhei flashes a smile just before the match starts.

Yukhei’s opponent is in the ring now and Mark watches in anticipation as the match begins. The ref blows the whistle and that’s all it takes for Yukhei’s opponent to come flying at him. Unfortunately, Yukhei goes down with ease. Mark notices the bandages wrapped around Yukhei’s abdomen and he realizes that the boy is already injured, but none of that seems to matter because his opponent punches him with an intensity that makes Mark flinch in the audience. He feels as if he nearly blinks and Yukhei is a bloody mess. And Donghyuck looks pissed.

“What the hell-“ He grits out before his anger gets the best of him and he’s yelling at Yukhei, “Hey asshole, you didn’t get nominated for the championships to lose! Get up and kick his ass already!”

And it works.

Mark watches as something seems to register in Yukhei’s mind and he quickly gains the upper hold, rolling on top of his opponent and landing a series of punches that nearly knock the boy unconscious, if not for the ref scrambling into the ring to pry him off the boy. He holds up Yukhei’s arm to declare him the winner and Mark takes in his bloody, grinning face and tries to imagine his cousin in the same position every other Friday. On the stage, Kun has rushed up and is wiping Yukhei’s grinning face with a towel. The opponent’s manager is hovering as medical staff try to keep the boy conscious. And the stadium goes _wild_.

Jisung is alternating between shoving mouthfuls of popcorn in his mouth and letting Renjun tug on his sleeve, rambling about Yukhei’s victory. Jaemin looks impressed, exchanging quiet words with Jeno, who’s more concerned with making sure the makeshift jacket pillow is comfortable for him. The loudest person is Donghyuck. He’s made his way to his seat finally, only to stand on top of it and rile up their side of the crowd. Mark watches him with a smile before looking around the stadium once more. Those who have bet on Yukhei are excitedly speaking on their fighter while those who have lost wear bitter expressions but look impressed, nonetheless. Mark is so busy watching his surroundings that when he looks over, he’s surprised to find the other half of the stadium headed towards them.

“Did you have to go and piss off half of the fucking stadium?” Renjun complains, tugging on Donghyuck’s jacket sleeve. He’s standing on his chair by now, Jisung is standing as well, still helping himself to popcorn as if a group of angry men aren’t closing in on them, Jaemin is standing, looking rather used to the turn of events, and Jeno grabs Mark’s hand to get him to stand in his chair as well. Mark blinks. They were surrounded by angry faces.

“It’s not my fault if they want to get their asses kicked.” Donghyuck shrugs with a smirk before he calls to Jeno, “Can your cousin fight?”

“No-“ Jeno starts to reply with a frown but it’s already too late.

Someone reaches for Donghyuck’s leg and pulls him into the crowd and the others follow. Jisung throws his popcorn at his attacker, Renjun is already slapping at the hands reaching for him, and Jaemin climbs on his attackers back. Jeno tries to reach for Mark but he’s swallowed up in the crowd of fighting men and Mark can only watch as he feels himself be dragged to ground before a punch knocks his breath away. Usually, Mark went home on Sundays, he went to church and had dinner with his parents afterwards, and then he spent the rest of his night catching up on homework.

But that night, Mark Lee spent his first Sunday in Seochu Underground getting beat to a bloody pulp, courtesy of his new headache – Lee Donghyuck. 


	2. The Underground Escape

“No”

Mark Lee watches as his nineteen-year-old cousin, Lee Jeno, pouts in the middle of the university dining hall. They’re leaving with takeaway containers full of pizza, fries, brownies, and other unhealthy foods their mothers would be upset to find them living on. Mark would usually sit with his cousin to have dinner in the dining hall, but he wasn’t in the mood to be seen by the general public, not when his face was a blotchy, bruised mess. Though he had shielded his face as best as he could at the championship fight, he still woke up to a bruised under-eye and a cut on his jaw. It wasn’t bad compared to Jeno, who now had a fresh black eye to replace his nearly healed one. But unlike his cousin, Mark wasn’t used to waking up feeling like he had been hit by a bus…or two, in his case. He’s spent the day taking notes with his head down, avoiding his front camera, and rushing back and forth to classes with his hoodie on in seventy-degree weather. He’s also swore to never return to Seochu Underground, but Jeno has other plans. He follows him out of the dining hall into the warm spring evening and pleads –

“Hyung, please. Just give it another chance. I know it looks bad-“

Mark makes sure to pause on the walkway and give his cousin a long, hard look. Bad was an understatement when it came to Seochu Underground.

“Okay, it’s more than bad, but it’s Seochu. You get used to it.” Jeno tries instead, only for his eyes to widen when Mark cuts him off.

“No Jeno, _you_ get used to it.” Mark tells him sharply, “I have no intentions of going back there.”

With that said, Mark turns and heads in the direction of their dorm. He realizes he’s forgotten to put his hoodie back on after leaving the dining hall when a few people turn to look at his bruised eye and the cut on his jaw. But his hands are filled with takeaway containers, preventing him from pulling his hood over his head and leaving him at the mercy of their curious stares. Mark feels his face flush with embarrassment as he speeds up his pace. He was never going back to Seochu again.

“Trust me, hyung. I know it’s terrible, but you really do get used to it.” Jeno, who has caught up with his cousin once more, starts again, “I thought it was a shithole when I first saw it, and it still is. But my family is there, and they make it worth it.”

“Your family is also here, Jeno.” Mark tells him as they cross the street among the other students in the crosswalk. He shoots his cousin a glance and asks, “What about your parents? What about me? We don’t live in Seochu but we’re your family too.”

“I know, but it’s different.” Jeno says as if he’s thought it over before, and Mark figures that he probably has. It wouldn’t be uncommon for someone like his cousin. He tries _not_ to feel sympathy when the younger looks over at him with his black and bruised eyes, “And I want you to be a part of that different, hyung. Seochu is important to me. _You_ are important to me. Why can’t these two important things just be one?”

They’ve stopped on the sidewalk, people passing behind them, some glancing at their bruised faces. The sound of university traffic fills Mark’s ears as he stares into his cousin’s passionate, genuine eyes before he sighs.

“Because I’m not keen on getting my ass kicked again for some loud-mouthed brat.” He says finally, the thought of the mentioned brat making his blood boil. He turns away from his cousin and continues the walk to their dorm.

“Donghyuck is sorry, and if you come with me to Seochu tonight, he’ll even tell you it in person.” Jeno tells him when he catches up again. Mark has a hard time believing it, but then his cousin adds, “And the others are worried about you. Nana wants to see if you’re okay, Renjun wants to know if you’ll have dinner with us tonight, and Jisung says he’s still waiting for you to play him in Mario Kart.” 

Despite how upset he was, Mark would be lying if he said that he hadn’t thought about the others. In the middle of being angry about his own injuries, he wondered if Jaemin’s back had gotten any better, if the social workers had come asking about Jisung again, and whether Renjun had figured out how terrible his spaghetti was. But, weirdly enough, his thoughts most often wandered to Donghyuck. He wondered what kind of injuries the boy sustained after the fight and if it would hinder him in starting the championships. It was foolish because he’s only known Donghyuck in the span of twenty-four hours in which the boy had slammed a door in his face then proceeded to get them both jumped by a championship stadium mob. Mark should be pissed, but he still finds that he’s more curious than anything. He knew that, if he were being honest with himself, he wanted to go to Seochu and see the others, but it confused him so much as to why, after the terrible turn Sunday took, that he made it his mission to prevent himself from doing so.

“Is he really sorry?” Mark blurts out before he can help himself. Jeno looks at him, surprised that he was inquiring about Donghyuck, but he quickly hides it.

“Hyuck? Yes, he’s really sorry. He was worried that you might think he was a bad person.” Jeno says to which Mark raises a brow.

“Why would he care what I think?” He asks as they approach the apartment-style buildings that make up their dorms. The sight of familiar, homely brick buildings, freshly watered roses, and students tiredly searching for their key cards alleviates some of Mark’s anger and exhaustion.

“Because he wouldn’t be Donghyuck, if he didn’t.” Is Jeno’s response that makes Mark frown as they approach their dorm on the bottom floor. He attempts to reach into his pocket for his keycard, but he nearly drops the containers of food. It’s Jeno who balances several containers in one hand and slips his hand into his pocket for his keycard with the other. Mark watches his cousin unlock their door and wonders why Jeno has to be perfect at everything. They enter the apartment and head to the kitchen where Jeno flips on the lights. Mark dumps his containers on the island bar counter and Jeno does the same before plopping down in a chair at the bar, leveling his cousin with a serious look as he continues, “Look, Hyuck doesn’t fight because he likes it. He does it because he wants to be the best. He does it because he knows people are watching, people like the betters, Yukhei, and now, even you-“

“Me?” Mark repeats with a scoff, “Why does he care what I think?”

“Because you saw him get his ass kicked, because you got your ass kicked because of him, that’s why he cares. He doesn’t want you to think that he’s a bad fighter.”

“How can I think he’s a bad fighter?” Mark replies, “He’s in the championships, isn’t he?”

“So, come to Seochu and let him prove why he’s in the championships to begin with.” Jeno practically begs and when his cousin continues to look hesitant, he sighs before explaining, “I know its weird but once Hyuck sees you, he feels as if he has to prove himself and with you, he thinks he’s failed miserably and it’s going to drive him crazy and in turn, he’s going to drive me crazy by constantly asking me to get you to come back to Seochu, which I’m starting to think is impossible because you get one bruised eye and think your life is over, which by the way – it’s _not_ , but good luck trying to convince your hypochondriac ass that-“

“You’re not helping your case.” Mark interrupts calmly, sitting down on a stool beside his cousin. He snatches a fry from one of the containers and stuffs it in his mouth before glancing at his cousin. Jeno looks absolutely defeated before he decides to give it one more try.

“One week” He prompts, staring at his cousin seriously, “Donghyuck’s first championship fight is next Sunday. Spend one week with us, see the fight on Sunday, and if you’ve made up your mind, you don’t ever have to step foot in Seochu again unless you want to.”

Mark’s first instinct is to say no. He barely survived one night in Seochu. How was he going to survive an entire week? There was no telling how many fights Donghyuck would land them in then, and there was also no telling how many bruises and cuts he would leave Seochu with once the week was over. But a small part of him wouldn’t mind being in the company of Jaemin’s warm smiles, Renjun’s jokes, and Jisung’s kind patience. Though he refused to admit, this small part of him also found something intriguing about Lee Donghyuck as well. And unfortunately, this very small part of Mark _wins_.

“Okay” He gives in, wiping the salt from his hands while Jeno’s eyes widen, “I’ll spend one week in Seochu, but after that, I’m never setting foot in that shithole of city again.”

Mark Lee stands, grabs another French fry, then heads towards his room (ignoring Jeno’s triumphant smile) to prepare for his second night in Seochu Underground.

_______________________

That night, Mark stands behind Jeno as he does the coded knock at the familiar, old apartment door. He shifts awkwardly, palm sweaty as it clutches the strap of the backpack slung over his shoulder. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt nervous. Would things be awkward this time around? Mark was sure that he probably wasn’t helping by overthinking. The door opening breaks him from his anxious thoughts.

“You came back!” It’s Renjun in another oversized hoodie, a black one that Mark recognizes as Jeno’s, black sweats, and hair messy as if he’s just rolled out of bed. His smile stretches the scratch marks under his eye, and it makes Mark cringe at the sight as he remembers the blood that had run down Renjun’s face after the fight. But Renjun hadn’t been angry. He had looked as if he were used to it, and even now, he’s grinning widely in the midst of Seochu.

“He wants to stay with us for the week, if that’s okay.” Jeno tells the brunet who’s eyes widen in surprise before he quickly ushers them in.

“You know we don’t care, Jeno. It’ll be nice to have someone else try my recipes.” Renjun replies to which Mark shivers when the other boy turns his back to them to lead the way to the kitchen. If only he had remembered Renjun’s “spaghetti” before agreeing to spend a week with them.

“What’s on the menu tonight?” Jeno asks, looking amused at Mark’s expense.

“Nothing made by me.” Renjun informs them with a small pout as they enter the kitchen before he perks up and exclaims happily, “Tonight we’re having pizza!”

Mark steps into the kitchen after Jeno and is surprised at the amount of pizza boxes stacked on their small table. Leaning back in a chair at the table is Jisung, lazily playing a game on his Switch.

“Thank God.” He mutters upon hearing Renjun’s comment. However, when he looks up to see Renjun’s intense glare, he quickly backtracks, “I-I meant thank God you don’t have to cook tonight, hyung, it’s nice that you get to have a break.”

“That’s like the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Jisungie.” Renjun murmurs, reaching over to pinch Jisung’s cheek. Mark was surprised to find that Jisung was mostly uninjured from their scuffle, save a few scratches on his eyebrow and a bruise on his shoulder. Renjun hands two paper plates to Mark and Jeno then, “You guys should eat. There’s no telling when we’ll get back from Jaemin’s shift.”

As he always does when he’s confused, Mark turns to Jeno, but this time Renjun catches on and explains.

“The money they make from fighting is not that much when you consider the cost of having a manager, trainers, and, on the rare occasion, getting your ass kicked so bad that you have to go to the hospital. So, some of us have second jobs. Jaemin’s is at a nightclub-“

“The Underground Escape” Jaemin appears in the kitchen, shirtless and holding a black tank top that he quickly slips on, but not before Mark can see the purple bruises marring his stomach from their championship stadium brawl.

At the sight of Jaemin, Jeno is suddenly all smiles. He perks up in his seat, using the paper plate Renjun had given him to grab two slices for Jaemin. Jaemin smiles at the sight, making his way around the table, only pausing to take Jisung’s Switch and motion to the plate of pizza in front of the boy as if to say _eat_. Mark’s nose crinkles in amusement as he’s reminded of his own mother. He also finds that he’s the only one surprised when instead of sitting in his own chair, Jaemin sits in Jeno’s lap instead.

Of course, Jeno is giddy at the prospect – he wraps his arms around Jaemin’s stomach gently, careful not to disturb his bruises or his back, and Mark has never seen his cousin look so content. They eat in silence, though instead of feeling awkward, as he had worried about before, Mark found that he felt more at home. Jisung and Mark are helping themselves to the supreme pizza, Renjun keeps taking slices of pepperoni and picking all the pepperoni off, to Mark’s utter confusion, Jeno sticks with cheese, and Jaemin picks at the same slice as if he doesn’t have much of an appetite. The silence is only broken by Jeno, who frown suddenly.

“What happened to your neck?” He asks, ghosting his fingers over the purple blotch on Jaemin’s neck that Mark hadn’t noticed before. Jeno frowns, looking Jaemin over worriedly as he asks, “Is this from the fight?”

Jaemin shakes his head, but before he can explain, Jisung speaks up.

“He went on a date!” The youngest exclaims, wiggling his eyebrows playfully, mouth covered in pizza grease as he grins and adds, “With a vampire,”

“More like with a fucking asshole” Renjun mutters to which Jaemin shoots him a look.

“But he bought us pizza.” Jisung protests to which Renjun scoffs.

“So?” He replies before turning towards Jisung with a serious expression, “Take a lesson of etiquette from your favorite hyung. Buying someone pizza does not mean you automatically have permission to burst the small superficial blood vessels underneath their skin.”

Jisung blinks at Renjun’s words, seemingly processing them before he speaks.

“Who said you’re my favorite hyung?” He says finally to which Renjun looks annoyed that his hickey “lesson” has been ignored. He picks up the pile of pepperoni’s on his plate and starts to toss them at the younger, one by one. Mark turns away from Jisung’s attempt to use a paper plate as a shield to find Jeno hiding his upset expression behind Jaemin’s back.

“You didn’t tell me you had a date.” He says, voice calm, though Mark couldn’t help but to notice the bitterness in his words.

“That’s because it wasn’t important.” Jaemin mutters, sounding upset in a way that made Mark wonder just how bad his date was. Usually, Jaemin was smiling and radiant. Now, his light seemed to have dulled and it was hard not to notice. He continues to tear at his pizza as he adds quietly, “At least not to me,”

“It was with the club owner’s son. He’s literally king of douche bag nation and since Jaemin is underage, he holds every fucking thing over his head.” Renjun informs them, having finished his pepperoni assault on Jisung. The youngest is peeling pepperoni’s off of his face as Renjun continues his explanation, “Anyway, the king of douche bag nation’s son, douche bag jr. the _second_ has a crush on Jaemin, so he begged his old man to set him up, and since king douche bag has the morals of … well _nothing_ – he has no fucking morals, he blackmailed Nana into going on a date with his douche bag seed or risk losing his job. And since Na Jaemin is mom of the fucking year, who knows what happens when we can’t afford to pay our light bill, he took one for the team. So today, he spent an entire brunch with a closeted homophobe telling him he _wished_ he were a girl while sucking on his neck like an alpha in a werewolf fanfiction going through his first rut – all for a few boxes of fucking pizza and to keep his shitty ten dollar an hour job.”

Silence fills the kitchen then as they all stare at Renjun, who’s vein has popped in his forehead in the middle of his rant. The brunet is breathing heavily, making Jisung raise an eyebrow.

“…Are you okay?” He asks hesitantly to which Renjun lets out something akin to a battle cry, pulling out a fork from his hoodie pocket and stabbing it in a piece of pizza.

“I fucking _hate_ Seochu Underground.” He says before he allows his head to fall against the table in his exhaustion. Mark jumps at the loud _thump_ it makes, but he’s the only one. Jaemin asks Jisung to pass him a slice of pepperoni as if he’s actually going to eat it and Jeno is still sulking about the date.

“Who the fuck doesn’t hate Seochu Underground?” A familiar voice replies before the last person Mark wants to see appears in the kitchen. Donghyuck’s black jeans are ripped at the knees and his leather jacket reveals a mesh top underneath that makes Mark squint…were those nipple piercings? Mark could feel his face flush as he took in the gold piercings sticking out, two snake heads curled in opposite directions. He looks up at Donghyuck’s face for any signs of injuries, but the other boy’s makeup covers any possible bruises, even the ones that already marred his soft looking cheekbones. Donghyuck’s brunet hair is falling over a dark headband and his eyeliner gives his eyes a bold look that makes Mark unable to look away. But in that same moment, Donghyuck seems to realize his presence. He grins and holds out his hand as if they’re old friends, “Mark Lee, is that you?”

“Cut it out.” Jeno tells him tiredly, “Do you know how long it took me to convince him to come _and_ stay?”

“But he’s here now, and that’s all that matters.” Donghyuck says simply, glancing at Mark cautiously, as if the other boy is going to attack him (as if Mark is foolish enough to attack a championship fighter), before he plops down in the chair beside him, slanging his arm over the back of Mark’s chair as if he knows him. He turns to face the older boy, smirking when he speaks, “I think it’s time we take you to the real underground. What do you say?”

At this, Mark hesitates. Did he really have much of a choice? He had agreed to stay with them for an entire week, and during that time, he was completely at their mercy which unfortunately also meant being completely at the mercy of the brat beside him. Donghyuck is staring at him expectantly but luckily (or unluckily) a distraction comes in the form of Renjun. The brunet, who has finally picked his head up, wails loudly before picking pineapples off of one pizza, sniffling as he does so.

“Is he okay?” Mark asks to which everyone turns to look at him as if he’s asked a strange question. 

“Yeah, why?” Jaemin replies, staring at Mark in concern as if _he’s_ the one crying while eating pizza.

“He’s crying.” Mark points out, feeling concerned as he watches Renjun sniffle, snot dribbling down his face in a way that makes Jisung pulls his plate closer to himself with a quiet “gross”.

“When the fuck is Renjun _not_ crying?” Donghyuck speaks up, clapping his hands as if to summon them all to their feet, “Alright everyone, dinner’s over. It’s time to go. The Underground Escape awaits.”

“That rhymed.” Jisung snickers with a grin.

“Oh Jisung.” Donghyuck says, staring at the younger with a mock loving expression, “Look at you, putting that Seochu education to good use-“

Jaemin kicks Donghyuck out of his chair before standing and heading towards the front door. Jisung is next, shoving a piece of pizza in Donghyuck’s mouth on his way out. Renjun follows, wiping at his eyes with green peppers, oddly enough. And then, Jeno is next, standing and motioning for Mark to follow them. Mark stands, careful to walk around Donghyuck, who’s still lying on the floor, munching on the pizza in his mouth, and walks after the others into another night in Seochu.

_______________________

In Mark’s opinion, the Underground Escape is the grittiest part of Seochu which, for a city built on grime and dirt, said a lot. In the dead of night, the brick building looks abandoned, but as soon as they step inside, the place is packed. It reminds Mark of the championship stadium with how people are shoulder to shoulder, with barely any room to breathe. In fact, Mark doesn’t breathe, not when a cloud of smoke greets him as he files in behind the others. He blinks in disorientation, eyes and nose burning from the onslaught of lights, the pungent smell of alcohol, sweat, perfume, nicotine, mint, and fried appetizers hitting him all at once. He felt sick, clinging to his cousin as if it might cure his sudden unease.

Jeno’s sweaty hand grips his in a way that says to relax. Mark decides to do so by distracting himself – he watches as Donghyuck is greeted with the same reception as the championship stadium. Somehow, people recognize him underneath the flashing lights. They give him big smiles and pats on the back that say _we’re rooting for you_ , and in return, Donghyuck ducks his head and looks the most bashful Mark has ever seen him in the hours that they’ve know each other. Jaemin heads to the crowded bar and starts making drinks. Jisung and Renjun help themselves to the chicken wings and fries people order for their champion fighter, Donghyuck. And Mark watches it all and wonders how many other people are unaware of this, of Seochu, the city underground. It’s confusing, how impressed he is by all of it and how he’s glad to be seeing it all firsthand. So, he reminds himself that it’s only for a week.

After that, Mark promised himself that he would never see Seochu Underground again.

“Relax” Jeno says when he notices his cousin tensing up. He wraps an arm around Mark’s shoulder and pulls him closer, the two watching as Donghyuck looks almost shy as people swarm him, “Nothing bad is going to happen here. They love him.”

Mark nods, forcing himself to relax because he was surrounded by fighters and the best among them, as well. He watches as a tray of shots arrive and the crowd tries to convince Donghyuck to finish them all. They finally get him to pick up a shot glass, but before he can down it, people begin to whisper and make room for a new arrival. Mark squints in the grimy darkness of the Underground, only able to make the person out when they step beside Donghyuck in the light. And if Lee Donghyuck is a celebrity in Seochu, Wong Yukhei is a _god_. The crowd goes wild at the sight of him and they go even more mad when the two fighters smile at each other.

“Look who finally decided to show up.” Donghyuck shouts over the noise, as if he hasn’t just arrived himself.

“I had to come see you in person after Sunday.” Yukhei tells him, referring to the night of the fight, “I wanted to say thank you. You really saved my ass, you know?”

“Oh, I’m sure he did more than that.” Renjun murmurs, mouth covered in barbeque sauce as he holds onto two drumsticks. Beside him, Jisung looks mortified, but it’s Jeno who snatches a drumstick from Renjun’s hand and shoves it in the brunet’s mouth to silence him.

“Did you forget? We’re in this together.” Donghyuck says, and by now people have turned away to give the two fighters some sense of privacy in the packed Underground.

Mark watches as Yukhei smiles, all teeth and bright eyes, but there’s something lingering between the two, a _for now_ that forces Mark to remember how competitions work. There could only be one championship fighter which meant, at some point, that Donghyuck and Yukhei would have to meet in the ring. But there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that it didn’t matter for the time being. He even has a hard time seeing them in the ring, staring each other down as opponents, especially when they’re smiling so blindingly at each other now.

“You’re a good friend, Hyuck.” Yukhei grins, ruffling Donghyuck’s already messy hair, “I’m happy to have you, especially in Seochu.”

The words are genuine, especially from someone like Yukhei, Mark has come to realize. But somehow, the word _friend_ seems to shatter any disillusionment for Donghyuck. Mark watches as his smile twitches, fights to stay, before it falls entirely because that’s what Donghyuck and Yukhei are – _friends_.

“I need a drink.” Donghyuck says and before Yukhei can respond, he’s fleeing towards the bar. Renjun abandons his and Jisung’s food quest to follow after his friend because Renjun is like that – he knows. Mark, however, does not know. He watches in confusion as Donghyuck escapes before he glances at Yukhei to find him looking equally surprised by his friend’s sudden departure. But before he can question it, the crowd is on him once more. Mark watches Yukhei be overwhelmed and then he looks over when Jeno starts to tug on his hand.

“Let’s go get drinks.” His cousin shouts over the music and the noise, and Mark doesn’t care to drink but he lets Jeno drag him towards the bar because Jaemin is there and a small part of him wants to make sense of Donghyuck’s strange behavior.

They make their way to the bar with Mark clinging to the back of Jeno’s sweatshirt. He feels a bit lightheaded from the smoke and the music resonating in his ears, making his head pound along to its tempo. He’s also a bit hungry, despite having eaten half a supreme pizza with Jisung earlier. He’s hoping to snag some free food on Donghyuck’s behalf like Renjun and Jisung. But Mark can only frown when Jeno stops suddenly, nearly causing his cousin to bump into him. They’re only a few steps away from the bar and Mark is sure he’s never seen Jeno this angry. He’s staring down the bar, jaw clenched.

Mark follows his cousin’s line of sight and what he sees upsets him as well. There’s a mixture of boys and girls at the bar, rushing back and forth to make drinks. They all look underage, and among them is Jaemin, who’s pouring shots, or at least he’s trying to. It’s kind of difficult with the way the boy behind him has an arm wrapped around his neck, keeping him restrained. Mark doesn’t recognize him, but then he takes in the way the boy is running his fingers over the hickey on Jaemin’s neck, only stopping to smirk triumphantly, and he realizes –

“It’s king douche bag's seed – douche bag jr.” Renjun appears alongside Donghyuck, who looks content now that he has a bottle of brown liquor that makes him cringe when he takes a swig. He has his arm slung over Renjun casually as the Huang boy informs Mark and Jeno, “His name is Hwang Minjun and if you look that up in the dictionary, you’re gonna get results along the line of ‘the ultimate piece of shit’.”

“Isn’t that considered sexual harassment? Shouldn’t Jaemin be able to file a complaint?” Mark questions. Customers are talking to Jaemin and Minjun sees it as an opportunity to make obnoxious gestures towards the hickey – Jaemin is smiling but even in the darkness of the Underground, it’s strained and filled with discomfort.

“It is, but we’re in Seochu where policy is considered to be surfacer bullshit.” Donghyuck tells him to which Mark has come to realize that anything “surfacer” related was considered unimportant in the Underground. He watches as Donghyuck hands his bottle to Renjun before placing his hands on Jeno’s shoulders, like a coach at a boxing match, “So we handle things differently.”

Mark figures that differently means the way Minjun is now leaving the bar, pushing his way through the crowd to head towards the exit and how Jeno storms off in that same direction. Donghyuck looks pleased like a lion watching their cub about to destroy it’s first prey. His brown eyes glint with amusement underneath the strobe lights and Mark is sure he’s never seen someone so aroused by violence.

“You do realize that if he kills the demon seed Jaemin could lose his job, right?” Renjun says suddenly, to which Donghyuck’s eyes widen.

“Fuck, I forgot about that.” He mutters, realizing his mistake.

“Yeah, so go collect baby cub before he kills douche bag nation’s next in line.” Is Renjun’s instructions as he pushes Donghyuck away in the direction of the exit.

Donghyuck nods obediently before disappearing in the crowd, and Mark isn’t sure what possesses him to, but he follows. He’s a few steps behind Donghyuck, but he makes sure to keep his eyes locked on the other’s leather jacket, so he doesn’t lose sight of him. He shivers when he thinks of the look in his Jeno’s eyes. If they were alone, Mark wouldn’t know how to deal with the younger boy’s anger. He’s only dealt with sweet, polite, goofy Jeno, and irritated Jeno, at most, but never angry Jeno. He doesn’t know what to do with an angry Jeno. But he figures that Donghyuck must know. After all, Seochu seemed to be built on rage, anger, aggression, and _violence_.

They make it to the exit doors and Mark waits briefly, after Donghyuck has walked out before he follows. He pushes the Underground’s back door open and is met with a chilly spring night. At first, he’s met with an empty alleyway, but when he looks to his left he sees Minjun a great distance away, waiting for a taxi by the curb, Jeno still in the alleyway, angrily making his way towards him, and Donghyuck hurrying to catch up with his friend. Luckily, he’s quick and he catches Jeno before he can step out of the alley to approach Minjun.

Mark watches as Donghyuck grabs Jeno and he’s expecting aggression, but instead, what he sees is Donghyuck pull his cousin into a hug, one that consists of wrapping his arm around Jeno’s neck and pulling him close, keeping his an arm firmly wrapped around his neck and his chest to prevent him from following Minjun.

“He’s not worth it.” Donghyuck says, voice gentle in a way that surprises Mark, “He’s a piece of shit, yes but he’s definitely not worth risking an injury and a possible championship nomination.”

“I don’t need a championship nomination.” Jeno tells him, still pissed but somehow distracted enough to lean back and frown at Donghyuck, “You already have that, and the title is yours-“

“It could be Yukhei’s.” Donghyuck shakes his head and though Mark knows he’s trying to distract Jeno, he also seemed to be confessing his own fears in the same breath, “Maybe I’m not as much of a champion as they think I am-“

“What the hell are you talking about-“ Jeno shakes him off, now also angry that Donghyuck was talking down on himself. Once he’s out of his friend’s grasp, he glances at the end of the alleyway to find that Minjun is safely in a cab that pulls away from the curb. He balls his fist, curses quietly, walks around aimlessly, then drops to the ground, burying his face in his hands. He sighs in frustration before muttering, “What are we doing?”

Donghyuck smiles patiently as he sits down beside his friend.

“Well, you’re reigning in your temper and I’m confessing that the championships have me fucking terrified.” He says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes that lets Mark know where his cousin really got his bad habit from. He pulls one out and lights it, taking a puff before passing it to Jeno, who takes a longer drag. Donghyuck leans against the wall, smoke filtering from his nose when laughs and says, “But we’re acting like surfacers right now, so let’s go inside and get drunk.”

“I _am_ a surfacer.” Jeno tells him but Donghyuck shakes his head.

“But you belong here, in Seochu, with us.” Donghyuck replies, leveling the other boy with a firm look, “Don’t let your cousin visiting change that… speaking of which if you’re going to eavesdrop Mark Lee I would suggest not standing out in the open while doing it-“

Mark flushes when both Donghyuck and Jeno turn to look at him. Jeno tries to put his cigarette out quickly but Mark is already narrowing his eyes at him.

“I wanted to see how you were going to calm him down.” Mark tells Donghyuck before informing his cousin, “I’ve never seen you mad before.”

“You were testing me?” Donghyuck asks, surprising Mark when he grabs his leg and looks up at him with an eager smile, “How’d I do coach?”

“You do realize if he runs off to the surface again, you’re going to have to be the one to convince him to come back?” Jeno tells Donghyuck as he pries the other boy’s hands off of his cousin’s leg.

“I don’t mind.” Donghyuck says, smirking before muttering a quiet, “I imagine he looks even better in surface lighting.”

Mark is prepared to convince himself that he’s hearing things but the way Jeno elbows Donghyuck and gives him a _what the fuck_ look tells him not to waste his own time. Luckily, before either of the two can notice Mark’s flushed face, the Underground’s exit door opens and Renjun appears.

“I’m glad to see no visible dead bodies.” He says, having traded in his chicken wings for nachos covered in so many jalapenos that Mark has to wonder about Renjun’s sanity. He watches as the brunet stuffs a handful of the green peppers in his mouth before speaking, “Now, hurry up and get inside. Yukhei has challenged us all to a drinking contest.”

“Suddenly, I have a calling in life.” Donghyuck announces, jumping to his feet with an eager grin.

“Yeah, it’s time for me to show you guys why they call me iron gut, Renjun.” Renjun says, doing a series of stretches that has Mark questioning his sanity once more.

“No one calls you that.” A voice scoffs before Jisung appears in the doorway behind him, holding a platter of food. Renjun pretends to be offended.

“Is this what you do at this time of night, Park Jisung, crush your own father’s dreams-“ He replies, holding a hand over his heart dramatically to which the youngest rolls his eyes.

“You’re a bad parent.” Jisung tells him dryly, holding up the tray of food in his hands, “You left me in the dark with a platter of chicken fingers.”

“Okay but Jisung-“ Renjun starts, blinking slowly, “Did you die though?”

“…No?” Is Jisung’s hesitant response that has Renjun clapping his hands cheerfully.

“Splendid!” He exclaims before wrapping an arm around the younger boy and leading him back inside, “Now let’s go compromise our livers.” 

Mark watches them go, wondering how Seochu produced such odd characters.

“Did he just use the words ‘splendid’ and ‘compromise’?” Donghyuck asks once Renjun is gone. The brunet scoffs, muttering, “He might have caught the surfacer disease. It must be contagious.”

His eyes widen and he glances at Mark as if he’s infected, and then, Donghyuck rushes past him to the exit door, giving him another dramatic, weary glance before he disappears inside.

“How exactly do you deal with this every day?” Mark asks as he holds out a hand to his cousin. Jeno shrugs before accepting the offered hand.

“You get used to it.” He says once he’s been pulled to his feet. He leads the way to the exit door, stepping inside and holding it open so that Mark can slip in behind him. Once again, they’re succumbed in the blinding strobe lights and the thick smoke that doesn’t make Mark choke as much this time around.

“Are you okay?” Mark shouts over the music, remembering why Jeno had stormed out of the club in the first place. Jeno looks unsure but then they both spot Jaemin in the crowd, making his way towards them.

“I am now.” Jeno tells Mark just before Jaemin comes crashing into his arms.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Jaemin pouts, wrapping his arms around Jeno’s neck. In return, Jeno apologizes, pokes his cheek, and tells him that he’s here now. And Mark decides not to intrude any further on their private moment, so he starts to wander aimlessly in the darkness when a hand wraps around his own neck and someone pulls him close.

“Has the sufacer disease started rotting your brain?” The sound of a familiar voice prevents Mark from freaking out. He turns around and comes face to face with Donghyuck who keeps a firm hold on Mark’s neck, as if he’s admiring his face in the light, “Do you really want to get lost in a Seochu nightclub?”

“I thought you didn’t care about surfacers.” Mark says, not realizing that Donghyuck was slowly walking them backwards, towards Yukhei, the others, and their drinking contest.

“I don’t.” Donghyuck tells him before he’s grabbing Mark’s chin and tilting his head back, “Now open your mouth, I want to make your second night in Seochu worth it.”

Mark does open his mouth, to ask what the hell he thinks he’s doing, but it backfires because he’s then left to watch as Donghyuck holds up a bottle of the same brown liquor from before, grins, and then pours the entire thing in Mark’s mouth. And for what feels like the fifth time that day, Mark Lee swears he’s never coming back to Seochu Underground _again_.

_______________________

Jaemin’s shift ends a few hour later and they all stumble home, wasted and loud. When they get back to the apartment, everyone disappears to their respective rooms. Jaemin and Jeno are in Jaemin’s room where Jaemin is listening to Jeno’s drunken rambling about how much he really likes him (“That’s nice, Jeno.” Mark could hear Jaemin say every so often, clearly amused, only to be followed by a gentle, “Maybe you should go to sleep.” But Jeno always refuses, trying to better explain himself, only to end up confusing himself in his drunken fog.). Renjun had passed out in his room after demanding Jisung tend to his “ailing father”, which really meant forcing Jisung to feed him pizza and listen to his drunken groaning until he fell asleep.

After that, Jisung had told Mark that he was welcome to sleep in his room with him if he didn’t want to deal with Renjun’s snoring. He then said he was going to bed, but Mark could clearly hear him cursing at his Switch every so often. Mark knows he should probably go to bed as well, but instead he finds himself on the living room floor, reading over his biology notes in a drunken haze. The words jumble together, and he finds himself reading the same sentences multiple times until the book is suddenly slammed shut in front of his face.

“Come on, surface boy.” Donghyuck says, reaching down and grabbing his hand, “We’re going to bed.”

Mark takes his damp, brown hair is falling in his bare face and how he seems less intimidating in a white t shirt and shorts. It’s his first time seeing Donghyuck’s bare face. Despite his bruised cheeks, Mark found that Donghyuck’s natural state was just as striking. He has to stop himself from reaching out and seeing if the other boy’s skin is as soft as it looks. 

“Do I look like I want to sleep with you?” Mark replies, blinking to stop the way the room sways slightly.

“Yes.” Donghyuck smirks, completely caught off guard when Mark picks up his textbook and drops it on his foot. The brunet boy curses, reaching down to rub his foot, but he doesn’t appear to be in any real pain. He’s still smirking when he tells Mark, “Okay, maybe I deserved that. But think about it, I have blankets and pillows, but you have to come in my room if you want to use them. Either that or you can spend a cold, hard night on the couch. But it’s your choice, of course.”

To his own horror, Mark actually finds himself contemplating the offer. He had planned to sleep in Renjun’s room, but Jisung’s warning about the other boy’s snoring made him reconsider and he was sure that Jisung would be up all night on his Switch. The couch was firm but not comfortable and the apartment was too cold not to be wrapped up in a blanket. Mark found that, if he wanted to sleep comfortably, he would have to accept Donghyuck’s offer.

But it seems that Donghyuck is already aware of this because he’s reaching for Mark’s hand once more. This time, Mark allows the other boy to pull him to his feet. The world spins for him a bit but Donghyuck is there, placing a gentle hand on his back to keep him upright. The brunet boy leads him out of the living room and down the hall to his room. He kicks the door open lightly and guides Mark inside, closing the door behind them. Then, he leads Mark to the bed where he drops him abruptly. Donghyuck laughs when Mark bounces on the bed like a rag doll.

“Don’t puke on my sheets, surface boy.” He warns when Mark lets out a groan, “I like you but not that much.”

Mark wants to tell him to shut up, to not be such a brat. But he can only blink tiredly as the alcohol and his exhaustion overwhelm him. The last thing he sees is the way Donghyuck shakes his head before cutting off his bedside lamp, the room growing dark. Not a second later, Mark is fast asleep.

_______________________

The next morning, Mark awakes to grunting.

He blinks slowly, sunlight filtering through his eyelids. At first, his vision is hazy, but as he awakens, it clears to reveal that he’s in a bed with black sheets. Mark himself is wrapped up in them. He sits up slowly and surprisingly, his head feels clearer than usual. He looks around the room, the vinyl’s on the wall reminding him that he was in Donghyuck’s room. Mark frowns, swallowing despite his dry throat. But where was Donghyuck? He looks around the room, becoming more alert at the sound of faint grunting. And then, when he rolls to the edge of the bed and looks down, it’s to see Donghyuck mid-sit up.

“What? No hangover? That’s surprising.” Donghyuck greets him with an amused look, letting himself rest on his back. And Mark is horrified to find that, once again, he isn’t wearing a shirt. But this time there’s no jacket to cover the toned, tan skin of his stomach or the serpent piercings that stare back at Mark.

“What are you doing?” Mark asks, voice groggy with sleep. He stares down at Donghyuck over the edge of the bed, watching as the other boy sits up suddenly.

“Preparing for the championships,” Donghyuck tells him simply, “Now come hold my feet.”

Mark is aware that he could refuse the younger’s ridiculous request, but he doesn’t even consider the option. Instead, he slides out of the bed and is holding Donghyuck’s feet as the younger does sit ups before he even realizes it.

“You know-“ Donghyuck says each time he comes up, face inching closer to Mark’s each time, “I meant what I said, you don’t look bad for someone with surfacer’s disease-“

And that’s when Mark Lee promptly lets go of his feet, smiling in triumph when Donghyuck’s back hits the floor roughly. Donghyuck is complaining about hold bold surfacers can be when Mark finally notices the tattoo beneath his collar bone. He’s not sure how he missed it before, but he squints at the roman numerals regardless.

“Want to know what it means?” Donghyuck asks when he notices him staring. When Mark nods almost eagerly, he smirks, “Ask Jeno. He has one too.”

And then, he flips over and starts doing pushups. Mark makes sure to step on him on his way out of the room, grinning at Donghyuck’s pained grunt when his bruised cheek meets the floor. He makes his way out of the room to find that everyone else’s room doors were still closed, signaling that they were most likely still asleep. Mark heads to the kitchen, not expecting to find Renjun there, stirring a pitcher of red liquid that Mark assumes in juice. He’s wearing a red onesie with a red scarf wrapped around his neck and what Mark is sure is a cowboy hat and matching cowboy boots. And Mark stares for so long that Renjun finally notices him.

“You’re alive!” He exclaims only to wince immediately after. He grabs two glasses and pours the juice in them, offering one to Mark, “Come on, let’s celebrate the start of your week in Seochu.”

Mark smiles and accepts the glass, laughing when Renjun clinks their glasses together in a mock toast. The brunet boy motions for Mark to drink up. Mark’s throat is dry, so he takes an eager sip of the drink and nearly spits it out.

“What is this?” He grits out around the salty taste in his mouth.

“Tomato juice,” Renjun tells him before taking a sip from his own cup and sighing in satisfaction afterwards, “I added extra salt.”

“Why are we drinking tomato juice at eight o’clock in the morning?” Mark complains, nose scrunched in distaste. But Renjun merely blinks at him obliviously.

“Why _wouldn’t_ we be drinking tomato juice at eight o’clock in the morning?” He replies as if Mark is the weird one here. And then, when Mark struggles to come up with a response, he laughs loudly. Once his laughter has died down, he pats Mark on the shoulder and says, “I’m actually really glad you’re here with us.”

And then, Mark watches as he practically skips out of the kitchen, tomato juice in hand. Mark stands there for a while before shaking his head. Finally, he decides to head back to Donghyuck’s room as he wonders what the rest of his week in Seochu Underground has in store for him. 


	3. Sunny's Flower Garden

Mark watches closely as Donghyuck shoves a white t-shirt over his head. When he catches sight of himself in the boy’s full-length mirror, he’s embarrassed by the deep, red flushing his face and it doesn’t help that Donghyuck catches him staring.

“Do all surfacers have staring issues?” He snorts and Mark pries his eyes away from the snakehead outlines on the boy’s chest to glare at him.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” Is his annoyed response.

“Because you don’t belong here.” The brunet tells him bluntly. He returns his attention to the mirror where he alternates between mussing up his hair and carefully applying eyeliner.

“Then I guess I should leave.” Mark replies, jumping from the other boy’s bed to give him an irritated look, “It’s not like I wanted to be here in the first place.”

He hates to admit how pleased he feels when Donghyuck’s eyes widen. The younger boy lets out a nervous laugh, turning toward Mark suddenly.

“Or, you could stay-” He suggests quickly, approaching the other boy as if he were a frightened animal in need of caution, “-and try to fit in,”

“Why should I?” It’s Mark’s turn to scoff.

He crosses his arms over his chest and decides to continue his tantrum, if only for the sake of seeing Donghyuck lack his usual confidence that he’ll stick around. It’s fun to watch the other boy squirm, and Mark is distantly concerned that he might be turning into an emotional sadist.

“You haven’t seen me fight yet.” The other boy says suddenly. He seems to have overcome his panic to turn away from Mark again. He opens his closest and pulls out an apron which he quickly tosses over his head, glancing at Mark as he steps into his shoes, “And if Jeno belongs here, you might too. But you won’t know if you leave…and, you promised to stay.”

Mark can’t help but to smile at the way Donghyuck whines, pauses to look at him and then actually pouts. He isn’t attracted to the other boy or anything, but there’s something endearing about Donghyuck’s messy hair, pouty, glossy lips, and warm, pleading brown eyes. If Mark didn’t know any better, he’d find the sight to be cute. But then he remembers that it’s the same boy who slammed the door in his face when they first met and got him beat to a pulp that same night. Though he doesn’t plan on going back on his promise, he forces himself to be annoyed with it all.

“Where are you going?” He asks, motioning to the other boy’s yellow apron.

“Work” Is Donghyuck response before he reaches into his closet once more, “Want to come?”

Before Mark can reply, the other boy is presenting a dark green apron that he quickly shoves over Mark’s head. Mark can see the way his hair has mussed up from the action in the full body mirror but then Donghyuck’s smiling face is before him as the other boy reaches up and smooths down his unruly dark strands. The stretch of his lips is a glossy, bright red from his lip balm and Mark isn’t staring, just observing. There are a lot of interesting things about the boy before him, from the nipple rings to his affinity for the perfect eyeliner. Mark doesn’t want to miss anything because then he’ll be one step behind figuring Donghyuck out.

“You’re not at school right now.” Donghyuck says quietly, tracing the strand of hair hanging in front of Mark’s eyes slowly, “You don’t have to think so hard here.”

Mark could feel his eyes widen. Just as he was trying to figure the other boy out, Donghyuck seemed to already have an easy time reading him.

“I was just-“

“Admiring me?” Is Donghyuck’s playful response. He smirks, grabbing Mark’s hand, “We’re spending the whole day together, there will be plenty of time for that. Let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”

Mark wants to protest. He can walk without the other boy holding his hand and he most certainly wasn’t admiring Donghyuck. He was just curious… and at times, a bit mesmerized, but he always snapped out of it. But he can only offer a last-minute scoff that doesn’t sound convincing, even to himself, before the brunet is pulling him out of his room and down the hall. They nearly run into Jisung who’s on his Switch, trash talking his friends Animal Crossing island. He glances at their interlocked hands and doesn’t bother to hide his amusement. Mark can feel his face flush as Donghyuck pulls him towards the kitchen. Jaemin is at the stove, struggling to flip a pancake, Jeno is watching him with an endearing smile, and Renjun is sitting across from him at the table, smearing vanilla icing on the pancakes already finished. 

“Don’t tell me you’re making him go to the shop with you.” Jeno says as soon as he notices them, taking in Mark’s apron before he looks at Donghyuck, “You’re really forcing my cousin to do manual labor?”

“We’re pressing flowers, not bodies, Jeno.” Donghyuck tells him with a scoff before heading towards the fridge and pulling it open. Mark shifts, suddenly feeling awkward without the other boy holding his hand. It makes him frown at how quick he is to notice the missing warmth from Donghyuck’s palm.

“You’re not allergic to flowers or anything, are you?” Jaemin asks, glancing back at Mark.

“I don’t think so?” Mark replies. He hasn’t spent much time outside since he was little, but he did appreciate the other boy’s concern.

“Well, are you hungry?” Renjun speaks up, plopping two icing covered pancakes on a plate and sliding it towards Mark. Jeno grins, clearly having the secret to getting out of Renjun’s taste testing adventures but unwilling to share it. Behind them, Jaemin watches as the pancake he’s flipped flies right out of the pan onto the floor. Mark stares at the frosting contraption and feels his stomach twist. He could already feel the stomachache that would follow eating so much sugar.

“That’s okay. We don’t want to be late.” Donghyuck is quick to save him, grabbing the back of his apron strings to pull him along, waving at the others, “Let’s meet at the diner for dinner!”

Jaemin and Jeno make noises of the agreement with the plan. Renjun looks lost with what to do with the plate of icing covered pancakes before he slides them towards Jeno. Mark can’t help but grin when the last things he sees is Jeno’s resigned face before he grabs a fork.

Donghyuck’s hand goes from his apron strings, sliding up Mark’s side to rest on his shoulder. The dark-haired boy resists the urge to shiver as they make their way out of the front door. He’s not used to being touched so much, but he found that he didn’t really mind Donghyuck’s need for physical contact. It was a comfort almost, as they walked out of the apartment complex onto the streets of Seochu. In the early afternoon, it doesn’t look so bad. There are no fighting taxi drivers and looters. The trash is still there, and a bit of light appears to be breaking into the gloomy sky. Mark is counting the foreclosure signs on the apartments they pass when Donghyuck shoves an apple at him suddenly. Mark feels his face flush when he remembers the other boy’s quick trip to the fridge.

“You shouldn’t skip breakfast.” Donghyuck tells him when he accepts the fruit.

“What are you going to eat?” Mark asks, raising a brow before taking a small bite of the apple. He regrets his question when the other boy smirks mischievously. Mark can only watch as Donghyuck grabs his hand wrapped around the apple and brings it to his face, taking a bite. The other boy chews, swallows, then looks at Mark in amusement. Mark blinks at him wearily, “I should throw this at you.”

“Am I supposed to take a surfacer threat serious?” Donghyuck snorts.

“Yes.” Mark tells him blandly before hiking up his arm with the apple and aiming.

Donghyuck’s eyes widen and he quickens his pace to a run only to trip over a garbage can being rolled by the garbagemen doing their afternoon sweeps. Mark laughs as he watches the garbagemen pick the brunet up from the ground. He shakes his head before taking a bite of the apple, enjoying himself in Seochu for the first time.

_______________________

_Sunny’s Flower Garden_

The floral shop before Mark appears to be the most well-kept building he’s seen in Seochu so far. It reminds him of something he’d see in Seoul with its polished glass windows, brightly decorated sign, and well-structured walkway. Donghyuck pushes the double doors open and holds it for Mark, who walks inside slowly. The walls are flamingo pink, the counters a bright yellow, tables full of plants fill the room, and an array of shrubbery line the windows. 

“Hyuck! Is that you?” A voice calls out before someone steps around the register.

It’s a woman with short, curly dark hair, a warm smile, and a lavender apron tied around her waist. Her nametag reads Sunny.

“It’s me.” Donghyuck confirms before placing his hands-on Mark’s shoulders, “This is Mark, Jeno’s cousin.”

“Ah, so you’re from up top as well.” The woman says, admiring Mark briefly before she smiles and exclaims, “Welcome to Seochu! It’s nice to meet you, Mark. I’m Sunny and this is my precious shop.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Mark rubs at his ear shyly, an action that makes Donghyuck snicker. He takes a look around the shop before asking, “How long have you been open?”

“Well, let’s see. I’ve been in Seochu for about forty years.” Sunny says, making Mark raise a brow. Despite the small wrinkles around her eyes, Sunny didn’t look to be that much older. She seemed energetic and youthful with her enthusiastic manner of speech and the sunflowers tucked in her apron, “So, about twenty years, and for four of them, I’ve had the pleasure of having my sweet Donghyuck here with me.”

Mark raises a brow at the word “sweet” used to describe Donghyuck. Briefly, he wonders if Sunny knows about the underground fighting ring. But, according to everyone else, Seochu was known for it’s underground fights, so it might have been hard for her not to know. He’s contemplating on whether it’s appropriate to ask when a loud bark catches his attention. Before he can question it, something comes crashing into his legs, knocking him off his feet. His back hits the ground roughly and he just barely has time to turn his head before an eager Golden Retriever tries to lick his cheek.

“And for half of those twenty years, Rosie has kept me company as well.” Sunny says with a laugh as she coaxes the dog off of Mark, who accepts the hand Donghyuck uses to pull him to his feet.

“If he likes it here, I might bring him with me for my afternoon shifts.” Donghyuck tells Sunny, referring to Mark with a smirk, “He’s staying in Seochu for the rest of the week.”

“Ah, let guess, he’s forcing you to attend the championships.” Sunny says to Mark, who’s surprised the elder does know about the fighting ring. But then, he watches as she mimics a boxer, doing a few punches before smacking Donghyuck’s shoulder excitedly, “I forget I have a champion clipping my roses!”

Mark smirks in amusement at Donghyuck’s shy smile. He found it endearing how any other time, Donghyuck exuded a certain confidence but when people gave him his credit, he was reduced to a shy boy with small smiles and a flushed face.

“I haven’t won anything yet.” Is his humble response, head bowed slightly as he grabs Mark’s hand and quickly pulls him away, “We’re going to check on the greenhouse.”

“Have fun!” Sunny exclaims, Rosie wagging her tail excitedly behind her.

Donghyuck leads Mark through a door behind the register. They step into a greenhouse with a polished glass encasing and long rows with a variety of bright-colored, healthy plants. Once again, Mark is left to watch as Donghyuck’s hand slips from his. The brunet boy has immediately gone to work, checking the tags on the plants that will tell him the last time they’ve been watered and their condition. Mark watches him work briefly before he wanders off down another row.

Though there were many different types of plants on display, the most prominent appeared to be sunflowers. Mark cracks a smile as he runs his fingers over the petals of a small sunflower on display. He thinks it’s fitting for someone like Sunny. He doesn’t know how long he walks along the aisles, admiring each and every plant on display. But he’s admiring blue Hydrangea when he feels something be placed gently on his head. Mark steps back in surprise, bumping into the person behind him.

He turns around to see Donghyuck holding up his phone with the camera open, facing Mark. Mark glances at himself in the camera and the flower crown made of roses on his head. Donghyuck appears to have made it, looking pleased with his work. He takes a picture before Mark can protest, shoving his phone back in his apron pocket before the older boy can snatch it and delete it.

A flower crown made of sunflowers is sitting on Donghyuck’s head of disheveled hair and the other boy is so close that Mark can smell the flower and the strawberry from the younger’s lip balm. He should ask for space, but he can’t get his mind or his mouth to work. Donghyuck appears to be in the same predicament. He’s staring at Mark, biting his lip and waiting for things that Mark can’t quite comprehend.

“Are the sunflowers doing okay?” It’s Sunny’s appearance that separates them. The older woman slows down, Rose close behind, as she takes in the sight of the teenagers. Mark panics, bumping into the table of Hydrangea with just how quickly he backs away and Donghyuck has the decency to take a step back but not without smirking at the older boy’s response. Sunny clears her throat before smiling, “I see the sunflowers are in good hands. I’ll leave you two to it.” 

Mark’s not sure if he imagines the way Sunny winks at Donghyuck before turning to leave, Rosie trailing behind her, tail waving excitedly. When the door closes behind the older woman, Mark turns to Donghyuck with a glare, prepared to ask just what the hell happened. But Donghyuck is already halfway down the aisle, singing quite happily as he goes, leaving a very confused Mark Lee behind.

_______________________

“Where are we going now?” Mark asks as they step outside of Sunny’s Flower Garden.

Working at a flower shop was more demanding than he thought. Between carrying 50-pound bags of fertilizer, trying not to overwater certain plants, carrying shrubbery half his size around, and chasing Rosie through puddles after watering sessions, he’s a little tired. But it hadn’t been all work. He had shared a bag of chips with Donghyuck in a bed of roses and watched Donghyuck and Sunny have an impromptu singing performance around the flower aisles that made him smile so hard his cheeks hurt. Perhaps there was joy in Seochu after all. Maybe Mark was looking at him, he thought as he watched Donghyuck smile sheepishly.

“Well, I have training today and I thought you might want to come along.” He says before stopping to look at Mark seriously, “If you don’t, I can take you back to the apartment. I don’t want you to get lost-“

“I don’t mind going to the training.” Mark tells him, watching as Donghyuck looks relieved.

“Good because I’m already late.” He admits, making Mark roll his eyes when the younger grabs his hand and pulls him along.

Still, he can’t help but smile as he’s pulled into yet another Seochu adventure.

_______________________

Like everything else in Seochu, the building for Donghyuck’s training looks abandoned. The white paint on the bricks is fading and chipped and the wooden doorway is crooked as if it’s been ripped off once or twice before. The comfort Mark had felt at Sunny’s is long gone as he stares at the dingy building before them. Unconsciously, he finds comfort in holding hands with Donghyuck, so he’s left feeling inadequate when the other boy pulls away to push the door open and hold it for him. Mark enters with reluctance.

He takes in the bare, white walls and the surprisingly polished wooden floors of the massive room they enter. Donghyuck is only a few steps behind him but suddenly the brunet boy rushes forward and grabs him, pulling him back quickly. Mark is prepared to question him when a man he’s never seen before catches his attention. That, and the man is headed directly towards them with his fist drawn. Donghyuck has just barely managed to get Mark to safety when the punch the man aims at his face lands, sending the brunet boy stumbling back.

Mark is shocked. He can only watch as the man turns his attention away from Donghyuck, who’s wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. He makes his way towards Mark once more. He raises his leg in a kick that Mark isn’t sure how to dodge. But before it can connect, Donghyuck steps in front of him and grabs the man’s leg.

“Ah hyung, he’s not a fighter.” The brunet explains quickly, looking the most caught off guard Mark has ever seen him. The man glances at Mark, raises a brow, and then swings the leg in Donghyuck’s hold so that the brunet boy is sent flying in the opposite direction. Mark can’t help but flinch when Donghyuck runs face first into the wall, the impact sending him crashing to the floor in a heap. The brunet groans, rolling on his side with a pained look as he explains, “He’s Jeno’s cousin, Mark. He goes to university in Seoul.”

“Jeno’s cousin?” The man repeats before he smirks, “So, you are a fighter.”

“He’s not here to fight, hyung.” Donghyuck speaks up from where he’s using the wall to help himself to his feet. He leans against the plain white structure, smirking despite his freshly bruised face, “He’s here to see me do it instead.”

“Then don’t be disappointing.” The man scoffs, “Have your reflexes really gotten that bad since last week? And right before the championships. You must want Jeno’s cousin to see you get your ass kicked.”

“Get my ass kicked? I’m just getting started.” Donghyuck replies with a smirk that Mark finds interesting. It seemed that there a difference when other people spoke about the championships with Donghyuck versus that of his trainer. One brought out the shyness in him while around the other man, Donghyuck looked like he did the night of the fight, confident and ready.

“Then go get changed so we can start. There’s no time to waste with championships right around the corner.” The man instructs and Donghyuck nods, giving Mark a quick assuring glance before he leaves in a door on the opposite side of the room. The silence in the room makes Mark shift uncomfortably. But the man appears to be unfazed. He plops down on the wooden floors in an almost meditative pose. Mark finally takes the time to look at him. His brunet hair is somewhat slicked back with a few strands hanging in his face, he’s quite tall, Mark realizes even while he’s sitting, and his open jacket reveals a toned stomach that made Mark wonder how long he’s been training fighters in the underground. He’s broken from his thoughts when the man grins suddenly, “So, you’re Jeno’s cousin. Mark, right? I’m Youngho but everyone here calls me Johnny. As you can already guess from the light ass whooping I just gave him, I’m Donghyuck’s trainer and pretty much everyone else’s down here in Seochu as well.”

Mark takes in the older boy’s words quietly only to raise a brow suddenly.

“You train everyone else too?” He asks with a curious frown, “Isn’t that counterproductive?”

“It could be, but this is Seochu.” Johnny tells him with an amused grin, “And fighting is fighting. I can teach anyone who walks through that door how to defend themselves, how to fight, but it’s up to them to learn. I like to think of fighting as an art. It comes in different forms and there are different kinds of artists in Seochu. Your cousin, Jeno, is like a painter. He takes his time, spends more time on the defense than anything else, but in the end, he makes you see the bigger picture when he takes home the win. Jaemin is my sketch artist, he’s not sure where he’s going, and he gets hurt easily, like when you erase too hard and tear the page, you’ve got to be careful with him but sketches are always nice and light, he’s light on his feet and a great fighter, and Jisung is my sculptor, he takes his time but things always end up right in the end. He’ll get the upper hand when you least expect it.”

Mark was amused. He found Johnny’s words to be endearing, and in the trainer’s brown eyes, there was genuine care that made him feel slightly better about the underground fighting ring. 

“Is graffiti art? Because Donghyuck is definitely graffiti.” The trainer says before he shakes his head, “If there’s one thing you can’t separate, it’s Donghyuck and Seochu. Those two are so intertwined and it shows. The kid fights like it's his element. Somehow, he’s sloppy, rushed, and inconsistent like graffiti, but it works because he’s in the championships again.”

“Again?” Mark blurts out before he can stop himself. Johnny raises a brow, looking somewhat amused by the curiosity surrounding his student.

“Last year he made it all the way, only to lose the final round.” The trainer tells him with a shrug.

Mark frowns. So, Donghyuck had been in the championships before but he had lost? It made sense now as to why he was reluctant to claim the title when people brought it up. But it almost made mark wonder. Who had Donghyuck lost to?

“Sorry I’m late. I lost track of time.” The training center doors open to reveal a sheepishly smiling Yukhei. His hair is disheveled, voice thick with sleep letting them know why he was late.

“Glad you got a nice nap in because I’m going to wake both you and Hyuck’s asses up with laps around the center.” Johnny tells him with a grin when Yukhei groans in despair. “Have you met Jeno’s cousin?”

Yukhei turns to Mark as he plops down beside him.

“Mark, right? I’m Yukhei.” The brunet says with a warm smile. “Hyuck’s told me a little about you. How long will you be in Seochu?”

“He’s here to see Donghyuck in the championships.” Johnny speaks up before Mark can reply.

At the mention of Donghyuck and the championships, a strange look passes over Yukhei’s features making his grin falter slightly. But he quickly snaps out of it, grin straining as he recovers from his slip. A loud groan catches their attention and they look over just as Donghyuck emerges from the door he had disappeared in earlier. He’s wearing a sleeveless hoodie and basketball shorts and his hair is pushed back by a red headband.

“Can we stop talking about championships?” He complains making Yukhei’s grin widen as he stands to his feet.

“Rule number one of being in the championships, kids. Always talk about the championships.” Johnny says, holding up his fingers with a wise expression before he grins deviously, “Now, get outside and run until your lungs fall out.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes but prepares to do as told. He spares a glance at Mark, checking to make sure he’s okay before heading towards the front door. Yukhei holds the door open for him, and Mark is surprised at just quickly Donghyuck’s confident aura is reduced to a shy glance as he hurries past Yukhei out of the door.

“I’ve never seen a person so hard to read before. You think you’ve got him down but then he surprises you again.” Johnny speaks up once the two fighters are gone. He shakes his head with a small smile before glancing at Mark, “You’re only in Seochu for a few more days but I think that when it’s over, you’ll know more than any of us.”

With that said, the trainer stands to his feet and heads outside to watch the two fighters, leaving Mark to sit in the middle of the empty training room and wonder what exactly he meant.

_______________________

“Hold still.”

That night, they meet the others at a diner for dinner. It’s a cheap replica of a fifties restaurant with a jukebox, red and white checkered tiled floors, and leather seated booths. Mark is sitting next to the window with Donghyuck beside him, helping himself to his third serving of fries. Mark figures it has something to do with how much Johnny had made them sweat during their work out. He’s rolled a few ice cubes in a napkin, pressing it against Donghyuck’s swollen cheek. Donghyuck whines at his demand, ignoring him to take a sip of his milkshake that gives him a brain freeze. Jisung laughs from where he’s sitting across from them when Donghyuck flinches in pain.

“Okay, that’s enough of that.” Jaemin declares, pushing Donghyuck’s chocolate milkshake towards Renjun, who grins in delight and starts dropping so many fries in the drink that Jeno turns up his nose across from him.

“I could be home playing Animal Crossing.” Jisung complains while Donghyuck pouts and mourns the loss of his milkshake.

“Islands are temporary. Family is forever.” Jeno tells him to which Jaemin smiles.

“Please stay off Facebook.” Jisung says with a groan.

“You should eat the burger.” Mark tells Donghyuck, who’s still picking at his fries, “You need the protein after working out.”

“I _need_ my milkshake back.” Donghyuck says before turning to his attention to Jaemin.

“You should listen to Mark.” The other boy says simply to which they all appear to be expecting Donghyuck to protest and fight for his milkshake rights.

Instead, they all watch in surprise as Donghyuck drops the fry in his hand and focuses his attention on his hamburger instead.

“I think it’s a miracle.” Jeno murmurs, glancing at the boy beside him in shock.

“Is that you surface gods?” Renjun glances up with a hopeful look, “Answering our poor Seochu prayers-“

“Maybe I should have let you bring him sooner.” Jaemin tells Jeno, referring to Mark.

“Am I the only one not surprised?” Jisung grumbles, clearly upset that his Animal Crossing time was being interfered with.

That night at the diner, Mark doesn’t stop smiling. Jaemin and Jeno are obvious with their flirting across the table, Renjun makes so many concoctions at their table that he has to start putting them on the table behind them (much to the dismay of the couple already sitting there), Jisung has described his Animal Crossing island in so much detail that they’ll probably never have to see a picture of it, and once Donghyuck is full, he rests his head on Mark’s shoulder, tired and surprisingly quiet the entire time. Mark realizes then that he’s never felt so comfortable, so at home, in Seochu of all places. But of course, comfort in Seochu doesn’t last, especially not when Jaemin stiffens suddenly, abandoning his game of footsie under the table with Jeno.

“We should leave.” He suggests to which Jeno frowns and follows his line of sight.

“How come we didn’t notice them before?” Mark watches his cousin mutter.

He follows the other’s line of sight to the island bar where a group of men are sitting but there’s one in particular who’s staring back at them with a smirk.

“Who is that?” Mark asks to which the others look hesitant to respond.

“That’s Youngjin. Hyuck fought him for a second time last week.” Jeno informs him before hesitating and cringing, “Except this time, he spit in Donghyuck’s face and-“

But before Jeno can even finish, Donghyuck sits up, any signs of exhaustion long forgotten. It’s like a switch, the shy boy who had blushed at Sunny’s compliments and placed the flower crown on Mark’s head is gone. Instead, the fighter has taken over. Mark watches as Donghyuck climbs over Jeno, out of the booth where he storms towards the island bar. Jeno is quick to follow and Renjun is next. Donghyuck hops on the island bar, kicking the plates of Youngjin’s men away as he makes his way to the dark-haired man himself.

“Jaemin?” He calls out suddenly as he kicks a plate of eggs that goes flying in the face of one of Youngjin's men. 

“Yeah?” Jaemin calls back, sliding out of the booth and ushering for Jisung and Mark to do the same.

“Get surface boy home safely.” He says, drawing back his fist.

Jaemin nods and that’s all it takes for Donghyuck to punch Youngjin, drawing blood from the older boy’s nose. The dark-haired boy grabs Donghyuck, pulling him down from the island bar before the diner erupts in chaos. Thankfully, Jaemin is quick about grabbing Mark and Jisung’s hands and leading them out of the diner. The night in Seochu is calm and clear, and Mark breathes in the air and finds that he hasn’t thought about Seoul that much. How could he when he was swept up in the whirlwind that was Lee Donghyuck? He was overwhelmed, but oddly enough, he found that he didn’t mind.

“Sorry about that.” Jaemin speaks up with an apologetic smile, “I won’t blame you if you don’t want to come back.”

“Actually, I think I’m getting used to how things work down here.” Mark tells him because unlike his first night in Seochu, he wasn’t afraid.

Though Donghyuck was impulsive, it was beginning to feel like something Mark could get used to. Distantly, he realized how dangerous this was, but at the moment, there was a thrill that seemed to draw him back to it all. He wanted to stay, at least for a little while.

“Good, now we can celebrate.” Jisung says suddenly before revealing the box of fries he’d stolen from the diner on their way out. He hands one to Mark and Jaemin before holding up one of his own, the trio doing a mock toast, “Congrats hyung, you’ve survived another night in Seochu.”

As they walk down the street and Jaemin scolds Jisung for shoving multiple fries in his mouth at once, Mark thinks of Sunny’s Flower Garden and a crown of sunflowers, he thinks of strawberry lip balm and flushed skin, he thinks of championships and Yukhei’s, he thinks of bruised cheeks and Lee Donghyuck.

And he’s no longer dreading any of it. Instead, Mark is ready for whatever else Seochu Underground has in store for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sorry for such a late update and that this chapter is kind of short. But there will be a fight next chapter (an official one) + more Markhyuck to come. Thank you for the kudos/comments/support on this story so far :)
> 
> Also, be sure to stay safe with Covid-19. I hope everyone is doing okay. Online classes start for me tomorrow, and if you're in the same boat, it's okay, we can do this! ❤️


	4. Bruises and Henrys

Mark blinks slowly, eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room. He cranes his neck to the side, picking up his phone from the nightstand and squinting. 7:00 A.M. but Donghyuck’s blackout curtains made it seem like it was still the dead of night. He drops his phone back on the nightstand before turning over carefully, twisting the dark sheets shared with the body beside him. Donghyuck is sprawled out on top of the covers, head tossed to the side, hair wild. Mark figures he must have passed out after showering.

He remembered hearing the other boy stumble around in the darkness last night, doing his best not to disturb Mark who had been fighting his sleep so that he could be awake when the younger returned home from the diner. At least now that the other boy was asleep, he could see whatever damage the diner scuffle had done. Slowly, Mark inches closer towards the brunet, taking in his sleeping face. He’s surprised to only find a few imprints on Donghyuck’s neck, as if someone had tried to choke him. Mark frowns at the sight. Before he knows it, he’s reaching out to trace his hand over the blotchy, purple markings only to quickly withdraw. What was he doing?

He shakes his head then runs a hand through his hair and sighs. He didn’t know why he even cared. Donghyuck had made it clear that he didn’t really care for people like Mark, who weren’t from Seochu. Mark reasoned that it was only because of his cousin, Jeno, that the other boy was trying to accept him. He knew better than to look too much into Donghyuck’s actions. Like he said the other day, he was just trying to see if Mark fit in. Mark scoffs, rolling his eyes. Why would he want to fit into Seochu anyway? After Sunday, he would leave and never come back. After the first night of the championships, Mark had promised himself that Seochu would never exist to him again.

He’s only been away from Seoul for three days, but somehow, he found that he didn’t really miss it. He hadn’t given much thought to his classes or his friends. Being in Seochu was like living in an entirely different world, though it was just below Seoul, and Mark figures it’s probably why Jeno likes it here so much. But, unlike his cousin, Mark couldn’t stay. He belonged home, in Seoul. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss being a part of Renjun’s mission to “put Gordon Ramsay out of fucking business” (as he so kindly put it), Jisung’s detailed explanations as to why his Animal Crossing island was superior, or Jeno’s failed attempts to confess his feelings to Jaemin.

Most importantly, he would miss the things that fill in the empty spaces between it all, like Donghyuck randomly smacking his arm in the middle of the night, trying to make sure that he was there and not suffering on the couch, him doing push-ups beside Mark as he studied his biology notes, and his affinity for grabbing Mark’s hand and showing him what Seochu was made of, and how somehow, all of their nights ended in a few black eyes and broken noses. But Mark is no longer afraid of these things. He knows he’ll miss it, but eventually, he’ll move on. Right now, he pulls the comforter off himself and places it over Donghyuck.

Mark climbs out of the bed, pausing to stretch before he makes his way out of the room. He passes Jisung’s room where the younger could be heard playing a game, speaking carefully into his headset. Mark raises a brow at Jisung’s patient tone as he seemed to be trying to help guide the other player. Usually, the younger would remind whoever he was playing how much they sucked every thirty minutes. But whoever he was playing with today must have been special since he seemed to have no problem helping them and even being unusually encouraging while doing so. In the living room, Mark is surprised to find Jeno sitting behind the couch. He’s wrapping bandages around his knuckles in a way that let Mark know that he’s probably going to Johnny’s for the day.

“Training?” Mark asks anyway, plopping down beside him tiredly.

Jeno nods, wrapping the last of the bandages around his wrist and tucking it before looking up at Mark with a small smile. Mark snorts. It seemed that his cousin could never escape a black eye. It’s the only sign of the diner fight, the deep, sallow bruising around Jeno’s right eye.

“How’s Hyuck?” He asks, staring expectantly. Mark splutters, face flushed because he thought he had done a good job of making sure he was out of Donghyuck’s room each morning before anyone could notice. But Jeno’s eye crinkling smirk tells him otherwise. “What? You weren’t sleeping in the living room, Renjun was whining because you wouldn’t sleep in his room, and Jisung said you wouldn’t room with him either. I’m not surprised Hyuck has you sleeping with him, I’m just surprised that you’re willing-“

“It doesn’t mean anything.” Mark tells him quickly, but Jeno just raises a brow in response.

“To you, it doesn’t.” He mutters before shrugging and deciding to drop the topic.

Mark’s shoulders relax as the need to defend things he didn’t understand melted away.

“How do you feel about the fight on Friday?” He asks, eager to talk about something else.

He still didn’t fully support Seochu’s underground fighting ring and he also didn’t want his cousin to be a part of it. But Jeno made it clear that it was important to him and he didn’t do it just for the hell of it. He did it to help make a better life for Jaemin and the others. Fighting kept them afloat, and Mark always felt a sinking resignation at the thought because if they needed to fight to survive, then they would never stop fighting. He figures Seochu is just like that, and it makes him wonder how they managed to keep going when the odds seemed to be so slim.

But it wasn’t all bad, he supposed, there were people like Johnny, who had told Mark that he had been in the same position as Donghyuck when he was a teenager, trying his hand at the championships until he won and was able to retire early as a trainer. Mark figures that’s why the championships were such a big deal. Whoever won, was given enough money to make a life outside of Seochu. Of course, Johnny decided to stay because he wanted to give hope to the boys in the same position he had once been in and he said that his father had been a trainer too and he wanted to continue the tradition.

Mark wondered what Donghyuck would do if he did win the championships. Would he come to Seoul and bring the others with him? Would he stay in Seochu? He made it clear that he wasn’t fond of “surfacers” which made Mark wonder what his thoughts were on Seoul alone. But most importantly, he wondered just how any of them ended up Seochu to begin with.

“Actually, it’s tomorrow night.” Jeno admits, freeing Mark from his thoughts. At his cousin’s words, Mark’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to scold his cousin for keeping things from him. But Jeno quickly shushes him, closing the small distance between them and lowering his voice. “Listen hyung, I’m trusting you not to say anything about this, okay? You can’t tell any of the others, not even Hyuck. Got it?”

Mark nods quickly, watching as his cousin looks around cautiously and listens to make sure that the others are still in their rooms before turning his attention back to Mark.

“At least two days before your fight, you have to go to the arena so that they can see if you’re okay to get into the ring. I went yesterday and before I left, I looked at the roster to make sure I was on it… but I saw something there that caught my attention and it made me ask Doyoung hyung to see if he could get me switched to the Thursday fight. Turns out one of the opponents was looking for a way out of the fight, and the arena doesn’t care as long as a fight happens. Doyoung hyung is pretty good at pulling strings. I got the Thursday fight and the guy that was originally supposed to fight is taking my Friday match.”

Mark listens carefully before frowning.

“Who are you fighting Thursday?” He asks, watching as his cousin smiles sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck nervously.

“Remember the club owner’s son?” Jeno replies to which Mark’s eyes widen and he can’t help but blurt out –

“ _You’re fighting Minjun_ -“

Mark’s cry of surprise is muffled when Jeno slaps a hand over his mouth, knocking him over. His back hits the cold floor, Jeno hovering above him, motioning for him to be quiet.

“What are you two doing?”

Mark and Jeno look up slowly to find Jaemin standing there, looking amused. Renjun is behind him, but his expression is one that lets Mark know that he’s probably been there longer than Jaemin.

“Is everything okay?” Jaemin asks, head tilted slightly.

Behind him, Renjun snorts before giving Jeno a look that makes even Mark nervous. Jeno removes his hand from Mark’s mouth, sitting up and allowing his cousin to do the same. Luckily (or unluckily), before they can struggle to come up with an excuse, a loud thump followed by a pained cry catches everyone’s attention. Jaemin is quick to abandon them to head down the hallway to investigate. Renjun glances at Jeno and shakes his head before following. Mark and Jeno share a look before getting up to do the same. Jaemin calls out to Jisung, asking about the noise. The younger boy peeks his head out of his room, headset still on, to assure them that he was fine.

Jaemin’s frown deepens before he approaches Donghyuck’s door. Mark had left it cracked because he had quickly learned that, confusingly enough, Donghyuck hated having his door open, though he didn’t mind when the others came to his room. Jaemin pushes the door open to reveal Donghyuck, who’s now wide awake, sitting beside the bed, though the covers on the floor behind him let Mark know that it wasn’t voluntary.

“What happened?” Is Renjun’s question that makes Donghyuck scoff.

“Nothing, I’m fine.” Is the brunet’s abrupt response that lets them know that he isn’t.

That, and as Mark squinted, he could see the way Donghyuck’s chest seemed to spasm slightly with each breath he took. Jaemin seemed to have noticed too because he rolls his eyes before approaching Donghyuck and plopping down before him. Donghyuck stares at him questioningly before Jaemin reaches over and lifts the brunet’s shirt, revealing a deep purple mass of swelling that seemed to wrap around the fighter’s ribcage.

“How long were you going to hide it this time?” Jaemin asks, though his voice is more gentle than anything else. Still, the question makes Mark wonder how many injuries Donghyuck has hidden before.

“Are you serious?” Renjun exclaims, pacing around the room as he rants, “Why didn’t you say anything last night? You do realize bruised ribs don’t go away overnight, right, especially if you don’t get it looked at. And you think you’re going to fight in the championships like that-“

When, in the middle of his rant, Renjun pulls out his phone, prepared to make a call that would probably put a hold on Donghyuck’s championship match, Donghyuck jumps to his feet, holding his ribcage to bear with the pain that follows. But he ignores it, rushing towards Renjun and reaching for his phone. Renjun holds the device out of reach but that doesn’t stop Donghyuck from reaching for it.

“I’ve fought with worse than a bruised rib and won.” Donghyuck says, clearly annoyed that he couldn’t solve the situation the way he was used to.

“Only because you didn’t tell us you were hurt.” Renjun tells him, struggling to maintain the hold on his phone. “And I’m not letting it happen again.”

Seeing as Renjun is adamant about keeping his phone and he has the advantage of being injury-free, Donghyuck gives Jaemin and Jeno a desperate look. Jaemin looked as if he agreed with Renjun but was hesitant to upset Donghyuck. Jeno looked unsure, not wanting to go against anyone. But then, Mark watches as Jeno tugs on Renjun’s arm to get him to hand over the phone and Jaemin uses the opportunity to wrap his arms around Donghyuck’s shoulders and pulls the brunet close to him without disturbing his rib cage. He rubs Donghyuck’s shoulders in efforts to calm him down so that his muscle spasms will lessen in their intensity. Eventually, Renjun gives up his phone to Jeno who pauses to make sure everyone has calmed down before speaking.

“I don’t think we should call anyone since we can’t agree on anything right now.” He says, making Donghyuck smirk while Renjun and Jaemin frown.

“You do realize you don’t have to take his side to be good friend, right?” Renjun tells Jeno and Mark has never seen the other boy upset, it’s odd not seeing him carefree for once, “His ribs are bruised, Jeno, probably broken knowing his luck. We should call-“

“I said we don’t have to call anyone today, but I didn’t say anything about Sunday.” Jeno interrupts, making Donghyuck’s smirk falter slightly when Jeno points at him, “If he doesn’t show any signs of improvement by Sunday then we’ll make him forfeit. If he can bear with it, then that’s his choice to make. He made it to the championships on his own, we can’t take that from him if he feels like he has a chance.”

“A bruised rib _isn’t_ going to go away in five days.” Renjun says, looking as if he wanted to further argue his cause. But when Jeno simply stares at him, clearly unwilling to take an actual side, Renjun rubs at his forehead with a stressed look. Mark watches as the brunet sighs before storming out of the room, grumbling, “Whatever, I’m going to go find my first aid kit.”

Once he’s gone, Donghyuck relaxes in Jaemin’s hold, clearly relieved that his fight was no longer on the line.

“You’re still getting a checkup.” Jaemin tells him, letting the brunet go as his muscle spasms seemed to have calmed down slightly.

Donghyuck frowns, looking as if he wants to protest, but Jaemin ignores him to follow after Renjun. Jeno glances at him as he leaves, but Jaemin ignores him as well, clearly upset that he hadn’t sided with Renjun. Jeno looks as if he regrets his decision but when Donghyuck flashes a bright smile, he shakes his head before sighing and turning to leave. Once he’s gone, Donghyuck nearly collapses from the pain in his side but Mark reaches him last minute. He holds the other boy up by his unaffected side, waiting until Donghyuck was ready to move him towards the bed. It’s a slow process where Donghyuck pauses every so often to deal with a muscle spasm or pain, but eventually, Mark manages to get him onto the bed where the brunet looks ready to curl into a ball.

“I know it hurts, but you have to sit upright.” Mark tells him as gently as possible.

Donghyuck nods, clearly in too much pain to protest. He allows Mark to help him into an upright position, leaning his back against the headboard for support. His shallow breathing makes Mark frown. He decides to climb into bed and sit beside him, doing his best not to get distracted by the way Donghyuck grabs his hand before resting his head on Mark’s shoulder. But Mark decides to use the opportunity for what it is. He starts to take deep, slow, measured breaths, hoping Donghyuck will catch on.

And to Mark’s surprise, he does, taking deep, measured breaths of his own. They sit like that for nearly an hour, with Mark helping Donghyuck breathe. After a while, when the brunet’s breathing sounds too even, Mark glances over to see that Donghyuck has fallen asleep with his head resting on Mark’s shoulder. His shallow breathing has evened out and his muscle spasms are slight twitches, but for the most part, he looks better. Mark felt relieved. He never thought reading Jeno’s physiology books out of boredom would pay off.

When Renjun arrives with his first aid kit, Donghyuck is still fast asleep. At the sight of the brunet’s sleeping face, any signs of anger and irritation fade away from Renjun’s demeanor almost immediately. He places the first aid kit on Donghyuck’s desk before approaching the bed. Mark, who’s trying not to fall asleep himself, looks over at him, careful not to disturb the sleeping boy on his shoulder.

“I meant what I said the first night. I’m really happy you’re here.” Renjun whispers, glancing down at their interlocked hands before he looks at Mark and smiles, a look of both relief and gratitude. Before Mark can respond, he turns and leaves just as quickly as he arrived.

Donghyuck’s hand twitches in his hold and his eyebrows furrow signaling he was experiencing a more painful muscle spasm. Mark is not sure what possesses him to do so but he squeezes Donghyuck’s hand gently to comfort the other boy. Renjun’s words come to his mind as he closes his eyes with Donghyuck’s head resting against his shoulder. And he can’t help but think that, just as Renjun was happy to have him there, for the first time, he was glad to be in Seochu.

_______________________

That night, The Underground Escape is hosting a party at Yukhei’s manager, Kun’s house. Jaemin is one of the few chosen to bartend at the event. Jeno tags along as usual, and though Mark and Renjun are hesitant to leave Donghyuck alone, he reminds them that he is _not_ a child before proceeding to force Jisung to stay behind and keep him company. Before they leave, Renjun reminds Jisung not to let Donghyuck out of his sight, though Jisung’s dismissive promise while playing on his Switch was less than convincing. Mark makes sure to give Donghyuck medicine for his inflammation, forces him to eat, and then practices deep breathing with the other boy until he fell asleep. Renjun’s relieved face was worth it when he peeked his head in Donghyuck’s room to find the boy fast asleep before informing Mark that it was time to leave for the party.

Mark doesn’t know much about Yukhei, except that he was the only thing keeping Donghyuck from being the number one fighter in Seochu and Donghyuck’s reactions ranged from extreme shyness to a certain somber reluctance whenever the other boy was around. He knows even less about Yukhei’s manager, Kun. But he figures that he must be successful by Seochu’s standards since he was supervising Seochu’s number one fighter. Mark is expecting another worn down, grimy building or an apartment complex as old as the one Donghyuck and the others live in. Instead, Kun’s house is like Sunny’s Flower Garden with how nice it is. It’s possibly one of the biggest structures in Seochu with how it takes up the entire edge of one street. Mark counts at least three stories and the roof seems to hover over the street. The light walls, expensive lion statues, bright red roses, and the black, floral fence circling it all make it a refreshing difference in the grimness of Seochu. Outside, several cars are already parked, and it reminds him that almost the entire city is inside, eager to party with the Undergrounds angel and his manager.

The inside is even more packed than Mark’s first night in The Underground Escape. But this time, there is no smoke or intoxicating scents to make him tense and the atmosphere is much more relaxed despite how difficult it is to maneuver through the crowd. The strobe lights are plain, lacking a vibrant array of neon colors, making it easier to see. Kun is standing near the entrance, scolding any and everyone he sees with a cigarette. Behind him, a boy with thick, dark eyebrows is shaking his head while another boy is offering a small, apologetic smile. Jeno and the others wave at Kun and his companions. Mark offers a last-minute, awkward wave that makes the two boys behind Kun look at him curiously. Feeling his face flush, he quickly returns his attention to the others. Jeno says that he’s going off in search of someone named Yangyang and Renjun eagerly follows him, leaving Mark with Jaemin, who heads to the bar to start his shift.

“I know you want to look around and meet people, but I don’t want you to get lost.” Jaemin shouts over the music. He grabs Mark’s arm gently and pulls him close. The lights flash above them and when Jaemin smiles, all teeth and bright eyes, Mark can see why Jeno is in so deep. “I can make you shots…of orange juice or water, if you want.”

Mark laughs, allowing Jaemin to pull him along as they approach the bar.

“How straight-laced do you think I am?” He asks to which Jaemin shrugs.

He steps behind the bar, waving to his coworkers who greet him. Mark watches as he grabs a shot glass before picking up the first bottle he sees, something brown that will probably make Mark regret his life decisions. He watches the brunet pour it before sliding the shot glass towards him.

“I don’t know.” Jaemin tells him with a smirk, “But why don’t you show me?”

Mark realizes that he doesn’t have to give in to Jaemin’s mischievousness, but he doesn’t really see the harm in it either. He takes a seat at the bar, grabs the shot, and downs it, cringing at the burning in his throat. Mark scrunches his nose at the horrible taste to which Jaemin surprises him by reaching across the bar to pinch his cheek.

“ _Cute_. I can see why Hyuck likes you so much.” Jaemin says with a smile, “You’ll fit right in.”

And then, he’s gone off to the other end of the bar to take orders. Mark sits there, unable to call after him and tell him that no, Donghyuck doesn’t like surfacers. He made it clear to Mark almost every night in Seochu. He only put up with Mark because he was Jeno’s cousin, but outside of that, there wasn’t much there. Mark wasn’t like Yukhei, someone who brought out the brightest smiles from Donghyuck with his presence. He was just Mark, the university student from Seoul, Jeno’s cousin, who wouldn’t exist in Seochu after Sunday. The thought sends a sinking feeling coursing through him that Mark pegs down to the alcohol. Even with Jaemin at the other end of the bar, he couldn’t relax. Something was missing, and Mark was tempted to order more drinks to distract himself from the frustration of not knowing what it was.

“Usually when people don’t belong, they at least pretend that they do.” A voice shouts over the music, right beside Mark, making him jump. When he looks over, a dark-haired boy is sliding onto the stool beside him. “But you’re probably the most awkward person here and you’re not even trying to hide it.”

“Thanks?” Mark replies unsurely, not sure what to make of the other boy’s words.

“That wasn’t a compliment.” The dark-haired boy tells him with a grin.

Mark is tempted to reply _no shit_ because he’s slightly offended, but the blotchy bruising under the boy’s eye and the cut on his jaw lets Mark know that he’s dealing with another underground fighter.

“You’re not from here.” The boy observes, and when Mark doesn’t deny it, his grin fades into a small smile before he asks, “Where are you from?”

Mark remembers Jisung’s warning and that of countless others about disclosing that he was from the surface, especially Seoul. But, despite the bruises indicating that he was in the underground fighting ring, Mark didn’t feel that threatened by the boy beside him. In fact, he seemed friendly despite his insults.

“Seoul.” He tells the other boy. Surprisingly, the information only receives a shrug from the dark-haired boy.

“Let me guess, you’re here for the championships.” The boy says, turning to look at Mark with a smile, “Who are you betting on…?”

His question lingers at the end, and Mark flushes when he realizes that the boy wants his name as well.

“Mark”

“Who are you betting on, Mark?” The way the other boy’s smile reveals his teeth and his dark eyes are focused on Mark in a way that makes him feel even more flustered.

“The person he came to see in the championships. _Me_.”

At the sound of a familiar voice, Mark’s eyes widen slightly when he turns and the last person he’s expecting is standing there. Donghyuck, for the most part, looks completely fine. Except this time around he must have been in too much pain to do his makeup. But his bare face is just as smooth and bright. He’s wearing a simple white t-shirt and black jeans and his hair is disheveled, but Mark still stares anyway. The dark-haired boy beside Mark rolls his eyes at Donghyuck’s words.

“I wonder if he would bet anything if he knew that you lost the title before.” He says, and Mark is expecting Donghyuck to be upset, for him to be angry that his secret has been revealed. But instead, Mark watches, somewhat surprised when Donghyuck merely shrugs in response.

“Maybe.” He replies, “But we know he’s not betting anything on you because you didn’t make the cut, did you Henry-“

“It’s _Hendery_ -“ The dark-haired boy tells him, but Donghyuck ignores him, grabbing the boy’s arm and practically forcing him out of the seat beside Mark.

“Whatever Henderson, just move out of the way.”

Hendery rolls his eyes at Donghyuck before turning his attention to Mark. By now, he’s been forced off the stool by Donghyuck and he’s standing in front of Mark with a small smile.

“Are you coming to the fight tomorrow night?” He asks, looking somewhat hopeful. Before Mark can reply, Donghyuck speaks up again.

“Why?” He demands with a scoff, “Please don’t tell me you’re coming to sit with us.”

“I’ll sit with Mark.” Hendery says with a smirk.

Donghyuck is ready to offer an insult but it appears that he’s worked himself up too much. His words are cut off by a muscle spasm that he tries to hide by clenching his fist behind the stool. Mark watches him with concern and Hendery frowns, clearly realizing something was off. It seemed that their rivalry was more of a friendly one because Hendery instantly backs off.

“I’ll see you around.” He tells Mark with a small smile before turning to leave, but not before giving Donghyuck a quick pat on the shoulder.

Mark watches him go, wondering if he really would see Hendery at the fight tomorrow. He wouldn’t mind if the other boy sat with him. He found Hendery to be interesting, and a small part of him wanted to know more about him.

“Please don’t tell me you’re interested in him.” Donghyuck scoffs, staring at Mark after recovering from his brief spasm.

“He seems nice.” Mark shrugs to which Donghyuck scoffs again.

“Was that before or after he insulted me?”

“You insulted him too.” Mark points out before asking, “What’s the big deal anyway?”

He watches as Donghyuck hesitates before he stares at Mark with a certain intensity that makes his eyes glimmer with sincerity under the strobe lights.

“The big deal is that it’s about you-“

“What the hell are you doing?” An angry voice demands before Mark watches as an upset looking Jeno grabs Donghyuck by the sleeve of his t-shirt.

“I definitely didn’t sneak out after putting Jisung in a food coma-“ Donghyuck tries to joke but Jeno’s expression doesn’t change.

“Get up and come with me before Jaemin or Renjun sees you.” He says, somehow remaining gentle as he ushers Donghyuck off the stool, away from the bar.

Mark looks down at the other end of the bar to make sure Jaemin hasn’t noticed Donghyuck’s presence. But the other boy still has his back turned to their direction as he speaks to the boy with the thick eyebrows, who had been standing behind Kun on their arrival. Mark isn’t sure if he should follow Jeno and Donghyuck, if he should try to find Renjun and keep him distracted so he won’t stumble across Donghyuck, or if he should remain at the bar and wait for Jaemin to return with more shots. Eventually, his curiosity and the need to make sure that Donghyuck didn’t strain himself again won and he found himself standing from the bar, following after Jeno and Donghyuck.

He pushes his way through the crowd to find that they haven’t gone too far. He can see where is Jeno standing on Donghyuck’s injured side, protecting him from being pushed against in the crowd as they make their way to a door on the other side of the room. Donghyuck appears to be letting Jeno lecture him, taking it in stride with an amused grin. But then, Mark watches as his amusement disappears with the flash of the strobe lights.

Mark squints in the darkness, following Donghyuck’s gaze. It’s hard not to spot Yukhei when he’s surrounded by people. Like at The Underground Escape, they crowd his space out of admiration, but this time, his attention is focused elsewhere. Instead, he’s smiling rather brightly at a boy with reddish hair, soft features, and a shy smile of his own. Their faces are so close and Yukhei’s hands are firm enough on the back of the red head’s neck that it isn’t hard to miss the sight for what it is. With another flash of the strobe lights, Mark can see just how stricken Donghyuck looks before Jeno pulls him out of the back door. Mark waits a little more before following. The back door leads to an alleyway and Mark hesitates before taking the three stairs down and looking at the end where Jeno is watching Donghyuck as he paces, clutching his rib every so often.

“Stop moving-“ Jeno starts, reaching for Donghyuck who quickly steps out of his grasp.

“I don’t understand.” Mark takes Donghyuck desperately rubbing his hands on his jeans as a sign that he needs a cigarette. He watches as the brunet laughs humorlessly before his voice falls so quiet that Mark strains to hear it, “If I’m not good enough for _that_ or to be in the ring with him, then what’s the fucking point-“

“Don’t question yourself.” Jeno tells him quickly, looking as upset as he always did whenever Donghyuck or anyone spoke bad about themselves, “You deserve a lot, Hyuck. Don’t doubt that.”

“I don’t know, Jeno.” Donghyuck whispers and beneath the streetlights, Mark can see the weight of fighting, unrequited feelings, bruises, and championships when he admits, “I’m just…tired.”

His shoulders sag and any of the life that usually sounded Donghyuck has dulled down into exhaustion. The door behind Mark comes flying open and he’s met with Hendery, Yukhei, and the redhead holding Yukhei’s hand.

“What are you doing out here?” Hendery asks, staring at Mark curiously.

Mark glances at where Jeno and Donghyuck are, and Hendery, Yukhei, and the redhead follow his line of sight to find that Jeno and Donghyuck have become aware of their presence as well. Mark watches as Yukhei’s face lights up at the sight of Donghyuck.

“Hyuck! You made it!” He exclaims before making his way towards Donghyuck.

The redhead who had been holding his hand doesn’t look upset. Instead, he’s smiling sweetly as he looks from Mark is to where Yukhei has pulled Donghyuck into an embrace. Under the moonlight, Yukhei holds Donghyuck close, rubbing his back and telling him that he was happy to see him. Donghyuck’s head is resting on Yukhei’s shoulder and he allows the other boy to hold him. When he lifts his head, he’s smiling but his eyes are glossy under the streetlights.

For the first time since coming to Seochu, Mark realizes that Donghyuck is _miserable_.

_______________________

“What happened between Donghyuck and Yukhei?” Mark asks later that night.

He’s sitting beside Jeno on the floor in Jisung’s room as they watch the younger play Minecraft on his PlayStation. Jeno had decided to sleep there after Jaemin continued to ignore him following their earlier disagreement. Though Donghyuck had tried to maintain his upbeat façade to assure Mark that he could sleep in his room, Mark could tell that underneath his attempt to appear okay, Donghyuck was hurting. He wanted to give the other boy space so that he could cope better, so that he didn’t have to waste his energy pretending.

He’s not sure why he cares so much, but there was something about Donghyuck’s misery that made everything seem a bit hopeless. He knows he shouldn’t be asking Jeno such a question, but he can’t help his curiosity. It also doesn’t help that Jisung tears his eyes away from his game at the mention of “Donghyuck and Yukhei” to stare at Mark briefly before returning his gaze to the tv screen.

“I think it’s better if you ask Hyuck when you two get closer, but I know it’s hard not to wonder when they have such…weird interactions.” Jeno replies, leaning against the spare bed in Jisung’s room with a conflicted look, “As you can probably already tell, Hyuck and Yukhei have very strong feelings for each other, especially on Hyuck’s end. But the underground ring complicates things. Yukhei doesn’t want to be with anyone that he has to fight.”

There seems to be an _again_ that hangs unspoken in the air, and Mark watches as Jeno looks torn on Donghyuck’s behalf.

“Hyuck thinks he can change his mind by winning the championships so that they won’t have to fight again but…” Jeno trails off, staring at his lap silently.

“It won’t change Yukhei’s mind.” Mark concludes.

“Hyuck deserves better.” His cousin says, “He deserves to be happy, more than anyone else in Seochu.”

When Mark looks over, Jeno’s eyes are shiny with a certain conviction. It made Mark realize how close Jeno and Donghyuck were. Jeno had defended Donghyuck, protecting him and his chances in the championship because he knew how dear it was to the other boy, even if he didn’t really agree with Donghyuck fighting while injured. He scolded Donghyuck for berating and doubting himself. He reminded Donghyuck that he was better than he thought he was, and even now, he seemed to be carrying a part of his friend’s heartbreak. The weight of so many realizations exhausts Mark who rests his head against his cousin’s shoulder and closes his eyes tiredly. Unaware to him, Jeno glances at him and smiles.

“But I think happiness is closer than he realizes.”

_______________________

Thursday night’s dinner is awkward.

Jaemin is still ignoring Jeno, who’s torn between giving him kicked puppy looks and looking anxious about the fight. Renjun is watching Donghyuck closely to make sure that he’s eating and drinking enough to go with his medication, ignoring Donghyuck’s whiny complaints whenever he catches Renjun staring. Jisung’s switch is dead, so he has to suffer through dinner by actively being there. He stirs around his noodles, looking at the arguing pairs cluelessly.

Ten minutes into the tense atmosphere, Jeno excuses himself, claiming that he was going to the arena early to meet Yangyang. Before he leaves, he locks eyes with Mark in a way that says he only has to keep their secret for a few more hours. Mark hadn’t forgotten about his cousin’s fight with Minjun. But somehow, his concern for Donghyuck had overshadowed everything else. Being reminded of Jeno’s secret instantly made him anxious. Being the only one who knew made it feel like he was lying to the others. They wouldn’t know that he knew, but it wasn’t a good way to build trust. Mark had a bad feeling about the fight as well. Johnny had praised Jeno as a fighter, but Minjun and his father blackmailing Jaemin implied that they weren’t above underhanded tactics. Mark can’t shake his nerves for the rest of the dinner.

Half an hour after Jeno leaves, they clear the table. Jaemin forces Jisung to help him do the dishes and Renjun immediately runs off to get his first aid kit. He returns just as fast and Mark watches as he changes Donghyuck’s compression wrap before administering his medicine. Donghyuck rolls his eyes but when Jaemin announces that its time to leave for the fight, he grabs Renjun’s arm and clings to him for the entire trip. They leave the apartment after gathering their jackets and slipping on their shoes. Outside, Seochu is as muggy and cloudy as ever. For once, the streets are crowded as people are headed to the fight, and even the walkways are busy with people. Mark’s thoughts begin to drift back to Jeno when Jaemin places a hand on his arm, pulling him back to fall into step with the brunet boy. When Mark looks over, the serious expression on Jaemin’s face makes him swallow nervously.

“I know we don’t know each other that well, and you have an unspoken loyalty to Jeno. But if you know something, you should tell me.” He says and Mark is instantly filled with dread. He’s prepared to deny having any secrets with Jeno, but then Jaemin cuts him off, “I know Jeno better than anyone in Seochu or Seoul, and I know when he’s hiding something from me. He’s bad at keeping secrets. He’ll want to tell someone, so if it isn’t me and Hyuck hasn’t blurted anything out, then it must be you that he told.”

Jaemin’s perceptiveness catches Mark off guard. Even when he was ignoring Jeno, he seemed to have picked up on the fact that he was acting strangely. Still, Mark had promised his cousin to keep quiet about the fight. Also, he didn’t want Jaemin to be angry with him or Jeno, even if fighting Minjun wasn’t the best idea.

“I think he’s just upset that you’re ignoring him.” Mark says and he hates to bring up their disagreement, but he doesn’t see any other way of keeping Jeno’s secret without lying to Jaemin.

Technically, Jeno _was_ upset that Jaemin was ignoring him. Jaemin looks as if he doesn’t believe that their disagreement is the only reason Jeno is acting so strange, but he doesn’t push the issue, to Mark’s relief.

“If he thinks I’m upset with him then he’s not wrong. And I’m not mad that he didn’t pick my side, I’m just disappointed that he picked the wrong one.” Jaemin explains, pausing to look ahead of them where Donghyuck is trying to give Renjun a kiss on the cheek and Jisung is pouting as they pass an ice cream shop. “Hyuck won’t be ready to fight by Sunday. It’s only going to upset him even more if he doesn’t realize it sooner. Jeno’s a good friend but he fails Donghyuck every time he tries to sugar coat things.”

Mark listens to Jaemin’s words and he can’t help but agree. Donghyuck was sensitive, despite his ability to withstand the worse injuries and his knack for quick comebacks. It showed whenever Yukhei was brought up or the very thing he was pushing himself for was threatened. Mark was sure Jeno had good intentions. His cousin hated seeing the people he loved hurt. But Jaemin was right. Donghyuck’s injury wouldn’t be any better by Sunday. And he would only be more devastated than he had been yesterday when the fight was actually called off because of it.

“He’s not going to give up that fight.” Mark says.

“I know.” Jaemin tells him, “He’s just going to find a way to do it behind our backs, and it’ll be just like last time, we won’t find out until he’s in the ring.”

Jaemin smiles with a nostalgic look but his words hit Mark differently who’s thinking of Jeno and his match with Minjun. He glances up at the murky Seochu sky and hopes that Jeno knows what he’s doing.

_______________________

The line to see the match is somewhat less crowded than the last but the place is still packed. They skip the line again, and this time, the people waiting ask Donghyuck if he’s okay because though he managed to walk without much of an issue, he couldn’t control the way certain spikes of pain made him bite his lip or flinch slightly. He assures them that he’s okay with a grin much too bright for a boy who’s still heartbroken. Renjun ushers them to their seats as quickly as possible because he doesn’t want Donghyuck standing up for too long. Mark glances at the overhead as soon as they enter, relief flooding his system when he realizes the opponents and their profiles are nowhere in sight. Jisung pouts because Jeno isn’t there to buy him popcorn and Jaemin is in too much of a daze to hear him whining for snacks.

“Here.” Mark hands the blond the crumpled bills he’s found in his pocket once they’re seated.

“This is why you’re my favorite hyung.” Jisung tells him with a bright smile as he accepts the money.

“I thought I was your favorite hyung.” A voice says, and when they look over, Johnny is standing there with a mock hurt expression. Beside him is a dark-haired man with sharp eyes and the redhead from Kun’s party.

“Anyone who buys him snacks is his favorite, hyung.” Renjun tells Johnny, shaking his head, muttering quietly, “I can’t believe I’m raising a scammer.”

“At least he’s a cute scammer.” Johnny says, pinching Jisung’s cheek.

The blond’s face is flushed when he smacks the elder's hand away. Johnny pouts only to grin when Jisung asks him to go buy snacks with him. When the two leave, the dark-haired man narrows his eyes at Donghyuck.

“What’s wrong with you?” He asks.

Mark watches as Donghyuck sits up, shoving Renjun’s hand that had been rubbing his back away.

“Nothing. I’m okay, hyung. See?” He grins, but it’s hard not to miss the way his expression twitches or the outline of the compression wrap underneath his shirt.

The dark-haired man ignores his blatant lie.

“Just how bad is it?” He asks, turning his attention to Renjun and Jaemin.

Jaemin looks away and Renjun hesitates.

“Uh-“ Renjun starts unsurely before the man gives him a look that makes him blurt out, “-just bruised rib bad but-“

“ _Just_ bruised rib bad? As if that kind of thing doesn’t take weeks to heal! Were you all going to tell me or just show up to the match as if it doesn’t matter?” The man scolds, though he appears to be more concerned than anything else.

“It’s my fault.” Donghyuck is quick to own up to it. “I didn’t want to compromise the championships.”

“Your wellbeing is more important than any championship match.” The man tells him. He runs a hand through his hair with a stressed look before he sighs, “The fight is starting soon. When it’s over, you’re coming with me and Jungwoo so he can look at the bruising. You might be staying with us until Sunday.”

The redhead, Jungwoo, smiles, holding tightly to the bag on his shoulders. The red cross on the front lets Mark know that its full of medical supplies and the redhead is the equivalent of an onsite paramedic for the fighting ring.

“But I’m supposed to be showing Mark hyung around Seochu this week.” Donghyuck whines with a pout.

The dark-haired man raises his brow before he finally notices Mark. Jungwoo turns to look at him as well and he can feel his face flush at the attention.

“This is Jeno’s cousin, Mark.” Renjun introduces them with a small smile, “Mark, this is Doyoung hyung, their manager. And this is Jungwoo, he keeps the fighting ring from having to pay extensive mortuary bills.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mark!” Jungwoo exclaims brightly with a sweet smile while Doyoung rolls his eyes at Renjun’s exaggerated description of Jungwoo’s job.

“We should go. The match is starting soon.” He says before giving Donghyuck a warning look, “Remember, when the match is over, stay put.”

“It’s not like I can go far.” Donghyuck mutters, but when Doyoung hears and narrows his eyes, he quickly assures, “No worries, hyung. I’ll be right here.”

Doyoung doesn’t look convinced, but he turns and heads towards the ring with Jungwoo behind him anyway. Mark glances around the arena to calm the nervousness that came with thinking about what was to come next. His heart is racing so he’s relieved when a familiar face appears, coming to sit beside him.

“Hello again.” Hendery’s dark hair is hanging in his face and he’s smiling.

“I thought I told you not to come to our section _Henry_.” Donghyuck calls out from where he’s sitting beside Renjun. He looks annoyed.

“Mark isn’t complaining.” Hendery says making Mark glance at him when he puts an arm around his shoulder and smirks down at Donghyuck.

“You’re lucky the match is starting.” Donghyuck tells him. Renjun is holding his hand, preventing him from leaving his seat, but it doesn’t stop Donghyuck from grinning threateningly at Hendery, “Or I would finish that black eye.”

Renjun snorts in laughter at the mention of the bruising under Hendery’s eye while Hendery himself rolls his eyes before turning his attention to the match. Once Donghyuck has calmed down, he does the same. Renjun looks just as nervous as Mark, Jaemin is completely oblivious, and Mark feels as if he’s going to be sick. Johnny and Jisung return with the younger holding a bag of popcorn so big that Mark wonders if Johnny added some of his own money to what he first gave the blond. They come to stand beside Doyoung, who’s watching the ring with a neutral expression, and Jungwoo, who’s checking his medical supplies.

Things happen a little too quickly for Mark. The blaring reaches his ears, making him reach for the first thing he can. Hendery smiles when he looks down to see Mark squeezing his hand. But Mark is too busy trying to calm his racing heart. The moment Minjun steps into the ring, Mark can feel the way Jaemin tenses beside him. It doesn’t help that Minjun’s father, the club owner, is on the other side of the ring, cheering rather loudly with a group of people for his son. Unfortunately for Mark, things get worse when he looks over to see Jeno step into the ring next.

Donghyuck jumps up from his seat, ignoring the pain that shoots through his ribcage, Renjun looks sympathetic towards Jaemin, and Jaemin looks even more upset than when they were having their disagreement.

“That guy is a grease ball. He’ll do anything to win.” Hendery tells Mark, pointing to the arena suddenly, “Like _that_ -“

With Yukhei’s fight, the ref had been given time to blow the whistle, but this time, Mark watches as the ref has barely entered the ring when Minjun draws his fist back and _punches_ Jeno.

“Isn’t that against the rules?” Mark asks with a cringe as he clings to Hendery.

“This is Seochu.” The dark-haired boy tells him as they watch Jeno go down, “There are no rules.”

Minjun, for all his underhandedness, packs quite the punch. Mark flinches in his seat as he watches the boy’s fist _slam_ against his cousin’s face. The blood it draws from Jeno’s nose makes him want to look away. But he forces himself to keep watching. The follow-up punch from Minjun sends so much blood rushing from Jeno’s nose that even Hendery frowns. The match had only just begun, but Minjun seemed to already have the upper hand.

The only assurance for Mark was Johnny’s words. Jeno was the painter, Mark reminded himself. Donghyuck ignores the pain in his side to stand by the ring. Renjun looks unsure and it's hard to tell what Jaemin is thinking. By the ring, Doyoung’s face is still impassive and Johnny appears to be making mental notes for future training sessions. Minjun draws his hand back for another punch but this time, Jeno aims a punch at his gut that sends the dark-haired boy stumbling back. Jeno uses the opportunity to quickly get back on his feet, much to Mark’s relief.

But his relief is short-lived when Minjun is upon his cousin once more. Minjun, for whatever he’s worth, is a quick thinker. He fakes a punch aimed at his opponent’s face and when Jeno dodges it, he uses the opportunity to wrap his hands around Jeno’s neck and _squeeze_. Mark watches unblinkingly. But he didn’t lose faith in his cousin, not even when the color began to quickly drain from Jeno’s face as he struggled to pry Minjun’s hands from his throat. Seochu and its lack of rules make the ref stand to the side and shake his head. The club owner is yelling for Minjun to “kill the fucking brat" and Donghyuck shouts back for him to knock it off before the heart attack that’s been waiting on him hits. The intensity of it makes Mark head spin.

He grips Hendery hands even tighter to the point where it can’t be comfortable, but the dark-haired boy simply gives him an assuring smile before turning his attention back to the ring. The arena is mostly silent except for Minjun’s father and his loud section. Doyoung’s face is still impassive, Jungwoo looks slightly concerned, Johnny looks anxious because he probably knows several ways to get out of a chokehold but he can’t show them to Jeno at the moment, Jisung looks as if he can’t decide if he’s having an odd dream or not, Donghyuck is flipping Minjun’s father off from across the ring, and Renjun has drawn his knees to his chest and was currently hiding behind them. Hendery looks relaxed despite the way Mark is gripping his hand like it’s a lifeline. But there’s something about the way Minjun chokes Jeno, as if he doesn’t care if the other boy stops breathing, that makes him hate this part of Seochu.

For the most part, Jeno fought by unspoken rules, but, as his face turned a concerning shade of white, he seemed to realize that he needed to abandon them. Mark’s eyes widen when he watches his cousin headbutt Minjun with enough strength to send them both tumbling back. Fortunately, the force causes Minjun to stumble back, falling against the ropes. Jeno takes the opportunity to quickly close in on him. He draws his fist back and aims a punch at Minjun’s face that sends a sickening _crunch_ echoing through the arena before Minjun falls against the ropes, out cold. The ref is quick to hurry over and declare Jeno the winner, but as soon as he grabs Jeno’s arm, Mark watches as his cousin sways, blinking heavily before he falls, face hitting the ring in a loud _smack_ that fills the shocked arena.

Jungwoo is the first one inside the ring, immediately setting to work giving medical aid alongside another onsite paramedic. Doyoung is there as well, having a heated shouting match with Minjun’s father. Johnny has to stop Donghyuck and Jisung from climbing into the ring. Renjun looks shocked and upset, and Mark feels as if he might throw up. Hendery’s hands are on his shoulders and he’s saying things that fall on Mark’s deaf ears. The stadium is too loud. Everything is happening too fast. He can’t keep up. He looks at the ring where Jeno and Minjun are being eased onto stretchers and then he looks at the seat to his left.

But the seat is empty.

And Jaemin is _gone_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I do plan to go back and fix them. 
> 
> Also, thank you for all of the kudos/comments/hits on this story so far!! I really appreciate it and it keeps me motivated when updating. Btw, I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on what's happened so far : )))
> 
> Thank you for reading! ❤️❤️❤️


	5. We found happiness.

note | I made a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7dY5kkDcjeffcVk0NRnmGr) for this fic if anyone is interested! 

The faint beeping of machines fills Mark’s ears Friday morning. The time on his phone tells him that it’s just a few minutes past six. He’s huddled in a chair, shivering from the cold hospital air. And he wonders if things would be different if he had spent his Thursday night in Seoul. Mark glances at the body curled on the bed beside him and shakes his head. He knows everything would have happened the same, except he would have blissfully unaware on the surface while his cousin was unresponsive to the world.

Mark had felt somewhat hysterical in the ambulance ride to the hospital. While he was grateful that Jungwoo was there, checking on him and taking great care to explain Jeno’s unconscious state, Mark felt a distant agitation start to take over him. He wanted to demand the ambulance turn around and take them to Seoul as if returning to the surface would automatically make things better. The rational part of him knows that’s not how things work, and just barely, he was able to calm himself down enough to be thankful that Jungwoo was good at comforting others and Renjun was adamant about assuring him that they would be at the hospital when he and Jeno arrived.

Mark was glad that he was able to keep his promise because as soon as the ambulance doors came bursting open and the paramedics rushed Jeno out, he could feel his head spin. Jungwoo had helped him out of the vehicle on shaky legs, and Mark thought he would faint, but then an arm was reaching out for him and Donghyuck was there with Renjun and the others behind him, asking if Mark was okay. In the span of just a few hours, Mark has learned a lot about Seochu and what sacrifices are to be made in the ring, but mostly that, everywhere he turned, everyone was there, ready to comfort and assure him.

It made it harder to finds reasons to really hate the place. Mark doesn’t hate Seochu – he just needs reasons not to come back. The match seemed to be the perfect excuse not to do so, but for some reason, Mark felt guilty when he thought about using something that probably happened regularly in Seochu to leave and never look back. Mark sighs, the sound of footsteps making him look up in time to see the nurse enter the room.

“He should be awake any minute now.” She assures, glancing at Jeno before looking at Mark with a small smile, “You’ve been sitting here since last night. I imagine you’re hungry and a bit cold. Why don’t you check out the café and get some fresh air? I’ll keep him company while you’re gone.”

Mark is hesitant because he doesn’t trust Seochu’s hospital with its dim lighting and grungy, off white walls but the rumbling in his stomach is hard to ignore. Face flushed, he stands and makes his way out of the room, ignoring the nurse’s amused look. He realizes as soon as he steps out of the hospital room that he doesn’t know his way around. He can’t even remember his way back to the main entrance. Mark shoves his hands in his pockets, prepared to turn back around when he spots a familiar face headed his way.

“Hey!” Renjun greets brightly despite his puffy face and dried tears. He’s holding two cups of Jell-O, keeping the red one for himself while he hands the blue one to Mark with a small smile, “I thought you might be hungry. You haven’t eaten since last night.”

Mark’s stomach chooses to let out an aching rumble that has him accepting the snack with red cheeks.

“Thanks, Renjun.” He says before taking a big scoop of Jell-O and shoving it into his mouth. Renjun doesn’t judge him. Instead, he looks a bit nervous. Mark squints at the other boy shifting and looking around with an uneasiness that makes Mark frown. Renjun was obviously uncomfortable.

“You look pale.” Renjun blurts out suddenly, grabbing Mark’s hand, “Let’s go get some sunlight.” 

Mark quickly swallows down the Jell-O as the other boy pulls him along before he can protest. He figures Renjun knows the hospital so well because of fights like Jeno’s, that sent them to the hospital sometimes. The brunet maneuvers through hallways and around corners without even a glance at the directories. He’s expecting them to return to the main entrance where Jisung and the others will be waiting for them. Instead, curiosity hits him when he finds himself being lead up a hidden flight of stairs.

He clutches the Jell-O cup as they approach a door that Renjun pushes open to reveal a rooftop. As soon as they step into the sunlight, Mark watches the stiffness in Renjun’s shoulders relax slightly, but he still looked tense. Mark looks around at the bricks lining the top of the building, the distant sunlight, and the slow traffic below before he returns his attention to the pacing boy in front of him.

“Uh Renjun-“ He starts hesitantly, “Are you okay?”

“Huh?” Renjun replies, squinting at him. He seemed to be struggling to deal with his thoughts. Mark watches as he grips the Jell-O cup so hard that the red substance goes splattering on the hot cement. But Renjun ignores it to continue pacing, pushing his hair back repeatedly and blinking as if he were fighting back tears. Mark isn’t sure how to approach the other boy. He’s never been good at comforting people and to make it worse, he’s not that familiar with this side of the boy before him. For most of his time in Seochu, he’s seen Renjun smile and make the most of anything that went wrong for them. Now, he watches as the other boy sighs before speaking in a strained, shaky tone, “I just…am not good with hospitals. I’ve spent too much time here and I hate it. I fucking hate it.”

Mark watches as Renjun plops down on the concrete. His hands are shaking and when Mark comes to sit beside him, the other boys breathing is erratic.

“You hate seeing people hurt?” Mark asks gently. He’s thinking of Jeno and the fight, but then Renjun shakes his head.

“I hate that, but… I’ve had to be here because I was also hurt – maybe not hurt, but sick for a while.” He admits quietly. He looks ahead but Mark can see the way his eyes darken when he laughs bitterly, “Believe it or not, I wasn’t supposed to survive in Seochu.”

His words carry away from the rooftop, dying out in the loud honking from the traffic below, but they stick with Mark who grabs Renjun’s hand to stop its shaking. It’s a sign of encouragement for Renjun, who finally decides to release what’s building up inside of him.

“I hate to talk about the past, but Jaemin says it’s the only way to live peacefully in the present. And even though I’ve only known you for such a short amount of time, you seem so trustworthy. I trust you, hyung.” Renjun tells Mark with a small smile. His face was flushed, and he seemed nervous, at best. Whatever was bothering him was clearly personal but also seemed to be just as embarrassing for him. Mark gives his hand a gentle squeeze and it seems to be enough to get the other boy to relax. He watches as Renjun lets out a shaky sigh before speaking, “I was born in the artistry district of Seochu. Our street was filled with museums, festivals, crafts, and pottery stores. Our apartment building had every kind of artist you could name. My dad was a successful painter. He had a small shop next to our complex. Seochu was doing well at the time. Things were fine.”

Renjun’s gaze is soft in its reminiscence. He’s smiling as if reliving moments that brought him ease, but then his smile begins to fade.

“But then, it was as if we just blinked and things were different. People were losing their jobs, businesses started closing, and crime became normal. Political officials don’t care about a place that’s underground, so things just spun out of control with no one to stop it. By the time I turned ten, Seochu became a wasteland of dirt and poverty. And people on the surface look down on us because of something out of our control.”

His words make Mark look down shamefully. When he first arrived in Seochu with Jeno, he thought the place was a dump. But now, seeing the people who lived there, who made the best out of everything that they had, changed his perspective.

“My dad’s shop went bankrupt, like most of the businesses on our street. He tried to sell paintings from home, but no one had the money to buy them. My parents were so busy trying to keep us afloat that they didn’t have time for me, and most of the other families were evicted or had left, so I was lonely. I used to draw stick figures to cut out and pretend I had someone.” Renjun’s laugh is bitter, his smile is strained, and his eyes are red. “One day, my dad sat me and my mom down. He said he was going to Seoul to try and make money. He told us he would be back when he had a place for us to stay. I still have the paintbrush he gave me before he left. Sometimes I look at it and wonder what he’s up to these days… or if he’s still alive.”

In the silence that follows, Renjun stares silently ahead with a strained smile. It seemed that speaking about his father made him choke up. Mark squeezes his shoulder for comfort. He takes a deep breath before picking up the spoon and drawing in the melted Jell-O. The activity distracts and comforts him enough so that he’s able to continue.

“My mother and I were fine, at first. But after a few months, she just got tired. She went to the areas where wealthy people frequented and sold whatever was left of our furniture and my dad’s paintings. I watched our apartment go from a museum to an empty box. She made a lot of money from it, which she told me she was going to use to get us to Seoul so we wouldn’t have to wait for my father. She told me she was going to get us food to celebrate the night we were supposed to leave. I watched her go, but she never came back.” Renjun takes a particularly long pause, drawing shapes in the red liquid before continuing, “I stayed in the apartment until it molded over. When I couldn’t breathe anymore, I left. I walked until I got lost. It was the end of December, so it was freezing out and I had my father’s paintbrush and a pair of sandals.”

Mark smiles sadly when Renjun laughs, a bitter, quiet sound that said his own survival still seemed unreal.

“I would break into the shops that had foreclosed and gone bankrupt and steal whatever food I could get my hands on – half a piece of bread, peppermints, whatever. Eventually, there was nothing else to take, so I kept walking. Two months later, at the end of February, I collapsed by the only hospital in Seochu. I was so sick that I couldn’t even think straight. They said I had pneumonia and they gave me treatment, but I felt sicker every day. I think that I was just sick of being in Seochu, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” The brunet sighs, looking ahead, “When my birthday came in March, I decided I had enough of the hospital. I wanted to have fun, so I ran away. It wasn’t the brightest idea, but I think it’s the best one I’ve ever made.”

Renjun smiles again, the first one bordering on genuine happiness that Mark has seen. He looked overwhelmed with gratitude and joy.

“I met Donghyuck that night.” He admits, smile widening before it disappears completely, “When Seochu fell into its economical slump, the people in charge were desperate for cash. At the time, the underground fighting ring was illegal, but because of the rising poverty, government officials dumped all of their money into it. At first, there was nothing, but then, almost overnight, it became a success. They put their all into setting poor, desperate kids up for the fight of their life – a fight for Seochu. We can only get so much but they don’t even live here and they get everything.”

“After that, you couldn’t live in Seochu without hearing about the fights. I was curious. I wanted to see it in person, so I snuck out and found my way to the arena. I never planned on staying long but when I found out was who was fighting that night, I didn’t want to leave.” Renjun admits with a nostalgic smile, “He was good, really good. I waited outside the arena after the fight. When he came out, I told him that I was surprised by how great he was. He told me it was offensive that I thought Lee Donghyuck _wouldn’t_ be great. Lee Donghyuck. That name stuck with me. I made sure it was on the roster each time before I went to the arena. I would wait for him after the fights and we would spend nights together exploring the city. He became my best friend. My pneumonia got better, and I was able to go out more. Hyuck and I spent every day together, even the ones where he wasn’t fighting.”

Suddenly, Mark felt overwhelmed with appreciation. He was thankful that Renjun was telling him his story, but he also felt some sort of gratitude for Donghyuck. He was more important to Seochu and its people than he seemed to let on.

“Pretty soon, it was June and his birthday was coming up. I was still in the hospital for antibiotic therapy, and I didn’t have the money to buy anything, so I asked the hospital staff for paint and paper, and I spent the night before making something for my friend. I left the hospital the next day to meet Hyuck but on the way there it started raining. I didn’t have an umbrella so most of the painting was ruined, and to make it worse, this group of low lives caught me in the alleyway. They ripped up the painting and were going to beat me up when Hyuck showed up. We were both twelve, so we couldn’t win in a fight against older men. But they knew Donghyuck from the fighting ring and they were fans – they left us alone. I immediately broke down and told Donghyuck everything, that I was poor, desperate, and terrible. But he just smiled at me and told me he was the same.”

Renjun’s smile is bright, even under the faint morning sun. The color has returned to his face with a flushed pink staining his neck. 

“That night, we started making plans. Hyuck promised to save the money he made from fighting so that we could find a place. It wasn’t a lot, so it took a while. I started painting at the hospital and sneaking over to the wealthier sides of town to sell them.” He concludes, drawing a final line in his Jell-O picture, “Two years later, we found the apartment.”

Mark takes in his flushed smile of happiness, the relief in his eyes, and the emotion in his voice and he hears something else.

 _We found happiness_.

Renjun stands, abandoning his masterpiece to go bask in the sunlight. He seemed to need a break after spilling his heart out. Mark gives him his space. He scoots over and looks at the drawing Renjun has made from the Jell-O. He’s expecting five stick figures, but next to the one with its stomach filled in that he figures is meant to represent Donghyuck and his bruised rib, is a sixth stick figure with round specs on their face, the same glasses Mark wore at the apartment when he was studying.

It seemed that even when revisiting the past, Renjun had not forgotten to bring Mark along with him.

_______________________

The taxi ride back to the apartment is silent except for the taxi driver gushing over Donghyuck and even Jeno. Jeno is the quietest Mark has ever seen his cousin. He sat slumped against the seat as if waking up had taken everything out of him. The cuts and bruises paled in comparison to the empty look in Jeno’s eyes. Mark figures that the glory of winning is the most depressing part of it all.

The apartment is just as silent when they enter it. Jisung quickly excuses himself to go to his room, desperate to escape the awkwardness. Renjun says that he’s going to make them an early lunch. He heads to the kitchen and starts pulling out the ingredients for ramen and Mark finds himself hoping that his spark will return and there’ll be a customary Renjun twist to it when it's finished. Like shadows, Mark and Donghyuck unconsciously find themselves trailing after Jeno who trudges along tiredly but is adamant about not needing anyone to help him. In his and Jaemin’s room, Mark can see Jaemin sitting in front of the bed, looking out of the window. When Jeno arrives, he doesn’t turn around but he’s able to immediately sense the other's presence.

“Are you happy now?” Is the first thing he says, followed by a bitter laugh, “Now that you got to fight Minjun and he almost killed you-“

His anger appears to have mixed with bitter concern, leaving Mark to wonder just how long he’d been sitting there. Jeno doesn’t take his response as an attack. If anything, his face softens, and he looks guilty.

“I did it for you.” He says quietly before he starts digging through a drawer with a desperation that lets Mark know he’s looking for a cigarette. Jaemin scoffs at his response, and before they know it, he’s on his feet, grabbing Jeno’s arm, forcing him to turn around and look at him.

“You know me best Jeno.” He says, “If you know everything I’ve lost in Seochu, then why would you make it so that I might lose you too?”

Donghyuck tugs at Mark’s hand and the two quietly turn to leave. The last thing Mark sees is the vulnerability on Jaemin’s face before they’re out the door and down the hall, back to the comfort of Donghyuck’s room. Donghyuck, Mark realizes, it just as bad at dealing with things as Jeno. He paces the room, messing with everything in sight. Mark watches him move a chair, dig through a pile of rings, take the cap off a bottle of nail polish, put it back on, and run his fingers over his vinyl’s before he finally turns around with a smile.

“So, what do you want to do today?” He asks, but before Mark can answer, he continues, “If you’re hungry, we could grab something to eat. Renjun’s ramen is pretty much guaranteed to be a disaster. After we eat, we could go down to-“

In the middle of the other boy’s rambling, Mark’s phone vibrates. He pulls it out, surprised at the name that flashes across the screen.

**Hendery**

_u should come to the rift tonight,_

_i’d like to see u there_

Mark frowns, unsure of where the “rift” was. His face is flushed because of Hendery implying that he wanted to see him. At the sight of his bright red ears, Donghyuck stops in the middle of his rambling.

“What are you smiling at?” He asks before snatching Mark’s phone. The text makes him scoff. He looks up at Mark with a bitter smile, “You actually gave him your number? And here I thought you were finally getting the hang of things, surface boy.”

Mark is thankful that he manages to grab his phone back in time because when he looks at the screen, it’s to see that Donghyuck has almost blocked Hendery.

“I’m trying to do you a favor-“ Donghyuck starts but Mark simply changes the subject.

“What’s the rift?” He asks, watching as Donghyuck instantly abandons his block Hendery mission to turn away.

“It doesn’t matter.” He mutters, “I’m not taking you there.”

He sits at his desk and turns to Mark with an expression that says his decision is final. But Mark isn’t one to take orders from the likes of Lee Donghyuck, so he shrugs.

“I’ll just ask Jisung.” He says, turning to leave, “As long as I let him talk about games on the way there, he’ll definitely take me-“

Mark isn’t sure if he’s right. He’s just trying to get a reaction out of the other boy, and it works because Donghyuck is jumping out of his chair and wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck.

“Why would you do that when we’re supposed to be spending time together?” Donghyuck whines.

By now, he’s started to make them sway as if they’re in his invisible ballroom. Mark doesn’t resist, he allows the brunet to lead him around the room, but he doesn’t give in to the other boy’s pouty expression. 

“You wanted to show me around Seochu, right?” Mark says, watching as Donghyuck nods slowly, “Then show me everything.”

Donghyuck looks as if he wants to protest, as if there are things in Seochu that are more shameful than the fighting ring or the Underground Escape. Clearly, he wanted to change Mark’s opinion on Seochu, but The Rift, it seems, would hinder his progress. But Mark doesn’t want the other boy to change his mind. He wants Donghyuck to be transparent so he can see Seochu for what it is. He stares at Donghyuck, looks him in the eyes until Donghyuck looks away, overwhelmed suddenly because they’re so close Mark can connect the moles on his bare face.

“Okay” Donghyuck breathes out.

“Okay?” Mark repeats, already smiling.

“If you want to go, then I’ll take you.” Donghyuck says before pulling away and rolling his eyes, “Just try not to spend the entire night flirting with Henry so I don’t regret my decision.”

“It’s Hendery.” Mark tells him, watching as Donghyuck groans.

“Not you too.” He whines making Mark laugh as the brunet storms out of the room, pouting and grumbling about Henrys and surfacers.

When the other boy has left, Mark catches sight of himself in the mirror, and he realizes that he’s smiling brighter than any day in Seoul would have granted him.

_______________________

It turns out that The Rift is one of the more gruesome parts of Seochu. If the arena gave fighters a platform to make a name for themselves, The Rift was the doorway to that opportunity. According to Donghyuck, every fighter in Seochu started at The Rift. Fighters in Seochu began as early as eleven years old. The Rift was a bunch of teenagers beating each other senseless, ready to make the same commitment for the rest of their lives. Monday through Thursday, managers would go down to The Rift to scope out the talent, to see which kid had the potential to become a championship fighter and earn the money that would give them a better life in Seochu. Once they found that person, the manager took them under their wing – they made sure the kid had a place to stay and proper training that would guarantee more wins than losses.

Its where Doyoung had found Donghyuck. Donghyuck informed Mark that Doyoung told him he was going to be a champion. Mark doesn’t think Doyoung was wrong. Luckily, the night Hendery invites Mark is the one night the mats are rolled up and the dirt is blood-free. On Fridays, The Rift catered to the veteran fighters, the ones who already fought actual matches. They had drinks and hung out well into the night, the others had explained to Mark.

“So, why did he only ask you to go?” Renjun had asked with a frown only to be confused by Donghyuck’s rambling about Hendery being into “seducing surfacers.”

Mark had brushed the comment off, and after ramen, they had gotten dressed. Mark had gone to see if cousin was feeling up to going. Instead, he found himself smiling fondly at the sight of Jaemin resting on a sleeping Jeno’s chest. He left them alone. Jisung said he had a Facetime that he didn’t want to risk missing, so he stayed behind as well. That night, Mark had followed Donghyuck and Renjun across town to The Rift. After seeing such a contrast in the gritty Underground Escape and Kun’s pristine mansion, he wasn’t really sure what to expect. But The Rift, as it turns out, was outside.

Beneath a starless night, underneath a bridge sat The Rift. The street next to it was filled with cars that led onto a grassy expanse that seemed to give way to dry, sandy dirt. There was a small lake with a thin, old bridge hovering above it, leading to a series of cabin-like buildings that Mark figures the fights took place. But everyone was outside in the darkness, sitting on blankets in front of bonfires, laughing and clinking beer bottles together as the flames illuminated their black eyes and cut jaws. 

“Hyuck! Renjunie-“ A voice calls out before a light-haired man appears, pulling Donghyuck and Renjun into a hug. When he pulls back, he pinches their cheeks with a pouty expression, “Donghyuck, Doyoungie told me about your injury. Please be more careful. Why are your faces so thin? Should I start visiting again on Sundays to cook-“

“That’s okay, hyung.” Donghyuck interrupts, “We’re okay.”

“Are you sure? You look so tired.” The man replies, still looking concerned.

“It’s just training and the fight on Sunday.” Donghyuck admits. He seems to glance in Mark’s direction before he returns his attention to the man and smiles, “But I’m handling it better than usual this time around.”

“Remember, whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, don’t forget you can come to me.” The light-haired man tells him gently, reaching over to ruffle Donghyuck and Renjun’s hair before he seems to notice Mark’s presence, “Ah, who’s this?”

“This is Mark.” Renjun introduces, “He’s Jeno’s cousin.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mark. I’m Taeyong!” Taeyong waves with a warm smile. He’s enthusiastic and kind, and Mark can see why Renjun and Donghyuck are clinging to his shirt like children. “How’s Jeno? I heard about the fight. Is he okay?”

“He’s better. He was released from the hospital this morning.” Mark tells him. For once, he felt comfortable enough to use his own voice. Taeyong looks pleased with the news.

“I’m happy to hear that. Be sure to take care of each other.” He says and when Renjun and Donghyuck finally manage to pry themselves from him, he smiles, “I should get back to the others, but come have dinner at my place Saturday night.”

“Okay, I’ll bring a dish.” Renjun tells him to which Taeyong seems to grimace.

“That’s okay, Renjunie.” He says quickly, “Don’t stress yourself out. Just come spend time with me.”

Renjun nods, Taeyong looks relieved, and Donghyuck snickers.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night then.” Taeyong speaks up again, “Be careful tonight.”

“Bye hyung!” Donghyuck exclaims, echoed by Renjun.

Taeyong gives them another warm smile before he turns to leave, and Mark is almost sure he’s never seen such a soft exchange in Seochu. He watches Taeyong walk away to approach a blanket where a group of men around his age could be seen, talking and laughing over drinks and food. Something struck Mark as odd about the older man. His face was spotless, lacking the bruises, scars, and cuts that let Mark know that he wasn’t a fighter. That, and he didn’t seem to harbor some thinly restrained aggression, mysteriousness, or intensity that seemed common in Seochu. Also, Mark hasn’t seen Donghyuck be so receptive to someone outside of those in his inner circle.

“Are you related?” Mark asks. Perhaps they were cousins. But Donghyuck shakes his head.

“He took care of me.” Donghyuck tells him quietly, “Taeyong hyung runs the only orphanage in Seochu. It’s been passed down in his family, and it’s the only good thing for kids down here. He doesn’t have to do it either. His family is wealthy, but his father had the orphanage built when the financial crisis hit, and they’ve kept it running ever since. They care about us when no one else does. I used to run away from the orphanage a lot because I thought it made me a charity case, but when I saw that it made Taeyong hyung cry, I realized he actually cared. He’s just good like that.” 

Donghyuck’s smile is the most gentle Mark has seen it when he stares after Taeyong. It says that Taeyong is the kind of person you wouldn’t find very often in Seochu, so Donghyuck was grateful. Mark was glad to hear a little bit of Donghyuck’s past, even if he seemed to be holding himself back from saying more.

“He doesn’t have to stay, but he does. His family is here, and so is his husband.” Renjun speaks up, adding to Donghyuck’s words, “But you’ll learn more tomorrow at dinner. Come on, let’s go find a spot.”

Renjun and Donghyuck lead Mark towards a blanket near the lake. People wave, call out, and pass food to Donghyuck and Renjun and even Mark as they go. By the time they sit down, Mark has a soda, Renjun has a bag of chips, and Donghyuck is peeling the shells off a bag of boiled peanuts. They sit in silence, eating beneath the starless sky and Mark basks in his calmest night in Seochu. When Donghyuck finishes his peanuts, he complains that he’s still hungry. He tells them he’s going to harass Taeyong for one of his pizza slices before leaving. Once he’s gone, they lapse into silence once more. Mark is picking at his last fry when Renjun turns to him suddenly.

“Thanks for listening to me earlier. It meant a lot.” He says, “More than you think.”

“I’m just glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me.” Mark shrugs with a smile.

Renjun tries to smile back but his attempt collapses with a wobbly sniffle and his eyes dampen. 

“I’m like the top chef in the whole world, I’m too talented to cry.” He whimpers, waving his hands in his face to keep his eyes dry.

Mark watches him give himself a pep talk about how he’s single-handedly putting Gordon Ramsay out of work before his phone vibrates and he turns his attention away from Renjun to pull it out of his pocket. 

**Hendery**

_look up_

Mark stares at the text before he looks up, only to jump when he finds Hendery standing there, looking down at him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He says, sitting down so close to Mark that their knees brush. He smiles brightly, “I’m glad you came.”

“I wanted to see what this place was about.” Mark tells him, taking in the warm fires, relaxed smiles, and the smell of various foods. He’s glad he came too.

“Are you sure you didn’t come just because I asked?” Hendery teases and Mark is prepared to work around his sudden nervousness to respond when Renjun lets out a noise of disapproval.

“Are you really going to flirt in front of me and my chips like this?” He asks, clutching his chip back to his chest protectively, “I am deeply affronted. One might say, I am greatly perturbed. I am intensely-“

“Where are you getting these words?” Hendery asks with a laugh but before Renjun can reply, another voice cuts in.

“Seriously? I’m gone for two seconds and you come sweeping in.” Donghyuck frowns, forcing a spot for himself between Mark and Hendery. Hendery’s cold skin is replaced with Donghyuck’s warmth when his knees brush against Mark’s. Mark watches the brunet turn to Hendery, “You just couldn’t wait, huh Henderson-“

“ _Hendery_ ” Hendery replies, rolling his eyes before he scoffs, “And what are you? His bodyguard?”

“I’m a little bit more than that.” Donghyuck tells him, making Mark’s eyes widen.

“What are you talking about?” He asks with a nervous laugh but Donghyuck just ignores him, letting Renjun steal the pizza slice he had managed to get from Taeyong.

“Your confidence is so cute.” Hendery says to Donghyuck, smirking before calling out, “Xuxi, over here!”

When Mark looks back it’s to see Yukhei approaching.

“Hey, there you guys are.” Yukhei greets them to which Hendery smiles and Renjun holds up a chip as a form of greeting. Mark watches as Yukhei sits down and rests his head on Donghyuck’s shoulder, turning to face him with a sweet smile, “Hi”

The response is immediate, and Mark doesn’t miss it even in the dark of night. Donghyuck retreats into himself, shoulders stiffening, eyes downcast. He draws his knees to his chest making Mark miss his warmth.

“…Hi Xuxi” His voice is quiet. He sounds torn between delight and some sort of sorrow but resigned altogether.

“Guess the bodyguard isn’t as tough as he claims.” Hendery mutters to which Yukhei glances at him in confusion, Donghyuck glares, and Renjun narrows his eyes. Before anything can be said, an unfamiliar face appears.

“There you two are.” Mark stares at the brunet boy who’s looking back and forth between Hendery and Yukhei.

“Oh, Xiaojun.” Renjun looks surprised. They watch as he sticks his leg out, chip bag landing in his hair as he strikes an odd pose, batting his eyelashes oddly, “What brings you here?”

“Uh-“ The brunet, Xiaojun, looks confused, “Everyone else is here?”

“Oh” Renjun blurts out, looking the most embarrassed Mark has ever seen him. He stands to his feet quickly, “I have to go… be somewhere else.”

Donghyuck snickers as they watch the brunet flee. Yukhei and Mark are grinning in amusement, and Hendery is smirking.

“Seochu’s top chef everybody” Donghyuck jokes, pointing after Renjun. Mark shakes his head and Xiaojun smiles despite obviously being out of the loop.

“Let’s go you two.” He says to Hendery and Yukhei, “Ten says he heard it's going to rain and he doesn’t want to mess up his hair.”

“I’ll see you Sunday, if I don’t see you before then.” Hendery says to Mark, giving him a small smile before he stands to leave.

Yukhei leans in close to Donghyuck before he seems to think better of it and ruffles his hair, giving him a warm smile before standing to leave as well. Donghyuck looks disappointed and relieved. He and Mark wave goodbye to the trio before they turn to leave. Once they’re gone, Mark and Donghyuck sit in silence that leaves Mark frustrated because there are unsaid words written on Donghyuck’s anxious face. He wants the other boy to speak, to fill in the missing gaps about Yukhei, about the Seochu he wants Mark to know. He turns to Donghyuck, prepared to question him when a raindrop comes cascading down the other boy’s cheek before there’s a full-blown downpour.

“Come on.” Donghyuck urges, reaching for his hand. The people around them abandon their blankets, laughing and shouting as they escape the rain. But Mark stays put, making Donghyuck frown, “What are you doing? Come on. I’m your bodyguard, right? I’m supposed to be keeping you safe-“

“I don’t need you to keep me safe.” Mark tells him, attempting to pull his hand away, “I need you to be honest, Donghyuck. Tell me what you’re thinking. Stop holding it in.”

“I can’t tell you everything.” Donghyuck says quietly and Mark can’t tell if he’s desperate to escape the rain or whatever has made him look so remorseful. His head is ducked, and the rain soaks them both when Donghyuck lowers his head and laughs bitterly, “That would change everything, hyung.”

“Like what?” Mark asks because he didn’t take Donghyuck as much of a cautious person.

Mark stares beneath his soaked bangs at Donghyuck, who makes no move at first. People are still rushing back and forth, knocking over beer cans, letting out shrill excitement. He’s just about to tell the other boy to forget it, suggest that they find Renjun and leave when he blinks and Donghyuck has tackled him. Donghyuck’s brown eyes are playful at first when he hovers over Mark, damp hair curling into his face. He’s smiling but when Mark blinks to make sense of what’s happening, it’s gone.

It’s replaced by something Mark can’t see when he leans down. He hovers above Mark’s cheek before gripping his chin, fingers cold from the rain. Mark doesn’t stop him. He closes his eyes and tries to make sense of the soft pressing of Donghyuck’s lips against his cheek. But when he opens his eyes to find Donghyuck’s dark eyes staring at him intensely, he finds that there are no answers for this or the intensity building in his stomach and the deliriousness in the need to smile after.

“Like that.” Donghyuck answers quietly. He pulls back and then, like a switch, all seriousness disappears in the face of his grin, “Now that I’ve fulfilled all of your wildest dreams, are you ready to get out of the rain Mark Lee-“

And just like that, the spell is gone. Mark rolls his eyes as Donghyuck laughs, but he accepts the hand the other boy holds out to him regardless. Once his laughter has died down, he grabs Marks hand and pulls him along so that they can find Renjun. As they run through the downpour, Mark presses his hand to his cheek. But he decides to question it later. For now, in the midst of the downpour that covers Seochu, Mark _smiles_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for such a short chapter, but I hope it was interesting to know Renjun's backstory. Not all of them were born in Seochu, but more will be revealed as the story progresses! Mark has two more days in Seochu, and the next chapter will be dinner at Taeyong's so expect to see everyone that's been introduced so far, including more NCT members + also, I wonder what will happen with so many conflicting personalities at one dinner table lmao : ) 
> 
> If you check out the playlist, let me know if you see any songs you know! I don't have the best music taste but I just thought I'd share the songs I usually listen to when writing or that reminded me of certain characters/relationships in the fic. 
> 
> Thank you for the support this story has gotten so far. I really appreciate it, and it encourages me to update ❤ so thank you again!


	6. Soobinie and Friends

Dinner at Taeyong’s appears to be a big deal in Seochu, or at least for Donghyuck it is.

Mark has watched him change outfits four times, carefully neaten his usually disheveled hair, and forego the nipple piercings, eyeliner, and mesh shirts for a simple t-shirt and jeans. He spends the day in a daze that makes him half acknowledge the warning Mark gives him about jostling his bruised rib too much. He barely speaks a word to Mark who eventually wanders out of the room in search of company. He finds it in Jisung, who’s complaining about the random chores Renjun has assigned him. Mark decides to help him, and when Jeno and Jaemin notice, they join in and turn the hallway into the sweeping Olympics. Renjun spends his time in the kitchen, sweating profusely under the pressure of putting together a plate to bring to the dinner that Taeyong had specifically asked him _not_ to bring.

By the time evening rolls around, Renjun forces Jisung into a button-down and slacks as if it's Easter Sunday and Donghyuck comes dragging Mark back to his room, telling him to get dressed and look nice which apparently meant “you know, look like your usual surfacer self.” After Jisung’s pleading about not being the only one dressed so formally (“It looks like the corporate world threw up on me, please hyung.”), Mark ended up in a black button-down and black slacks that earned him a marriage proposal from Renjun (which ended with Donghyuck threatening to squeeze lemon juice in Renjun’s eyes). The taxi ride to Taeyong’s is the longest they’ve taken since Mark has been in Seochu. Jeno and Jaemin are talking to the driver about love songs, Renjun tries to style Jisung’s hair while the blond is engrossed in his Switch, and Donghyuck is oddly silent.

He stares out of the window, watching the worn concrete buildings and thick smog turn into substantial brick and clear skies. Mark stares at him from where he’s sitting by the opposite window, and even with Jisung pushing Renjun away and Jaemin reaching forward and grabbing Jeno’s hand from the back seat, he can see how lost in thought the brunet is and how his shoulders tense subtly. The way the others ignore Donghyuck’s sudden distantness lets Mark knows that it’s normal behavior when it comes to visiting Taeyong and the orphanage, but it also makes him wonder the reason for it. Donghyuck walked around Seochu like its champion, unafraid and outspoken, but when it came to certain things, like Yukhei and now the dinner, he seemed to retreat into someone who was hardly recognizable. Even now, with his bare face and the lack of a leather jacket or a cigarette tucked behind his ear, it was hard to associate him with the same boy who’d pissed on an entire stadium but hadn’t backed down or the initiator of the diner brawl where he smashed plates of eggs in the face of a group of men.

Mark has seen people retreat to protect themselves, but he’s not sure what Donghyuck is seeking refuge from.

It makes him anxious, and by the time the Taxi finally pulls to a stop, Mark feels a bit lightheaded when he pushes the car door open. He steps onto the street and can’t help but marvel at the neighborhood. Grime and grit seemed to cover Seochu in its entirely, but Mark feels as if he’s back on the surface as he takes in neatly aligned sidewalks and firm, solid buildings. There is no trash, fighting taxi drivers, or structures that look seconds from collapsing. He follows the others towards a spotless two-story ivory home with high windows and vases and potted plants arranged neatly outside. Despite being oddly silent, Donghyuck leads the way and Mark drags behind the others anxiously. They’ve only just made it halfway to the front door when it comes bursting open.

Mark feels as if he simply blinks and a small army of children come rushing out, the girls in an array of pink and yellow dresses with bows in their hair and the boys in button-downs and slacks that they’ve somehow managed to wrinkle already. One little boy has already hopped on Jeno’s back, a small group of girls is proudly showing off their bows to Jaemin, Jisung is explaining his switch to a few wide-eyed kids, Renjun is proudly showing off his cooked dish to one boy, but most of the kids are crowding around Donghyuck, cheering and smiling widely. Mark watches him crouch down to acknowledge them, hiding the pain in his ribs with the expertise of someone who's spent years with injuries.

“Hey guys, it’s been a while.” Donghyuck greets them. His voice is gentle, and his eyes hold a light that’s different from the challenging look that he seemed to wear as a permanent armor.

“You promised to visit weeks ago!” The small girl holding his hand exclaims. Her chubby cheeks accentuate her big, dark eyes and the bright pink bow falling into her bangs. Mark realizes that the little boy beside her, holding Donghyuck’s other hand, is her twin, as they shared the same features.

“I know and I’m sorry, I got kind of busy.” Donghyuck tells them with an apologetic look.

“Busy being a champion!” The boy holding his hand exclaims. Mark watches in amusement as he incites the other children into chanting “Champion! Champion!” repeatedly.

They’re a small mob of tiny fists, pink and yellow bows, and shrill voices, and among them, Jeno is grinning, Jaemin and Renjun are jumping around with them, echoing their words, and Jisung is shaking his head. Donghyuck’s smile is impossibly wide and his face is flushed as he listens to their cheers.

“Ah, I’m not a champion yet, Soobin.” He admits, rubbing at the back of his neck bashfully, but the small boy doesn’t look convinced.

“Don’t talk like that!” He exclaims, and Mark isn’t expecting such wise words from such a small person, “Dad says we can do anything as long as we believe we can!”

“I also said don’t go outside in your nice clothes.” Another voice says, and when they look back, Taeyong is approaching with an apron tied around his waist, his hair pulled back by a headband, and a woman Mark figures is a volunteer for the orphanage trailing behind him. He gives Soobin a reprimanding look though he doesn’t look upset, “But you must have missed that part, Soobin.”

Soobin has the decency to look guilty before he perks up and rushes behind Donghyuck to push him forward, as if presenting some sort of a present.

“But dad, look, Donghyuck’s here!” The dark-haired boy exclaims, glancing around Donghyuck to look at Taeyong with puppy dog eyes, as if the fighter’s arrival will grant them more outside time.

“Nice try, Soobinie, but you’ve spent all day playing outside and you’ll ruin your outfits more than you already have.” Taeyong replies, reaching down to fix one girl’s crooked bow before he claps his hands and ushers them back towards the house, “Now, everyone inside. Dinner will be ready soon!”

There’s a mixture of pouty faces and excited cheers as the children make their way back to the house. Soobin looks upset but then Donghyuck promises to watch a movie with him and his twin sister, who he refers to as Soojin, which appears to be enough to make the dark-haired boy smile before running off after the others.

“He’s exactly like you, you know.” Taeyong tells Donghyuck once he’s gone, “Not a day goes by where he’s not inciting riots about dessert rights when they’re on punishment or convincing the others to dump tubs of water down the hallway and slide down it in what he calls _Soobinie’s Water Park_.”

Mark grins in amusement while the others laugh and Donghyuck shakes his head despite his own smile.

“Uh, dad?” A small boy who had lingered behind speaks up. He’s holding the plate Renjun had given him above his head, “Master Chef Renjun brought us a dish!”

“Master Chef Renjun?” Mark mutters in confusion to which Jisung shakes his head.

“The culinary manifesto has gotten really intense these days.” He says, “Along with poisonous, vomit-inducing food, it’s now taken to brainwashing children-“

“It looks like ice cream tacos covered in lime juice. Wow, there’s even sliced limes on the side!” When the small child pulls back the foil, it’s to reveal a row of hard-shelled tacos filled with melted ice cream, reeking of lime with limes arranged neatly on the sides. While everyone who’s not Renjun, who’s beaming proudly at his creation, pretend not to be nauseated by the sight, the boy looks up at Taeyong with wide, excited eyes, “Can we eat it now, dad?”

“ _No_!” Taeyong blurts out before he can help himself. Mark watches as he forces a smile when Renjun looks at him in confusion, “I mean, maybe after dinner. Mijoo will hold onto it for now. Go join the others at the table, and don’t forget to wash your hands first.”

The small boy nods, handing the plate to the woman behind Taeyong before running off towards the house. Mark watches as Taeyong says something to the woman, Mijoo, that he swears is something along the lines of “get rid of it” before the woman is leaving towards the house with Renjun’s dish.

“I’m really glad you guys came. It makes me happy when we can come together like this.” Taeyong tells them with a smile, ushering them into the house behind him.

The inside of the house is even larger than the outside. The walls are high, the wooden floors are polished, the staircase spirals in a heightened distance, there are pictures everywhere, framed on the walls, neatly arranged on coffee tables, Mark nearly trips over a few children’s toys here and there, but he smiles regardless when he comes across poorly drawn pictures with the children’s names scribbled on them in crayon. He lets out a laugh at the sight of Soobin’s drawing. It’s a reenactment of the water slide incident with a few poorly drawn stick figures sliding along a scribble of brown covered in blue crayon that Mark realizes is meant to represent the wet floor. He figures the taller stick figure with fire coming out of its ears is Taeyong. _Soobinie’s Water Park_ is scrawled out awkwardly on top and Mark figures that Soobin must really be Donghyuck’s mischievous reincarnate.

“Technically, we’re still an orphanage but the city has started to label us a foster home and ask that we begin adoption services instead of transitioning the children out when they’re old enough.” Taeyong explains as they pass the dining room where a rather long table is filled with the children, talking excitedly among each other, laughing and shouting. Soobin is seated at the center of the table where a group of kids has gathered to watch him balance chopsticks on his nose. Taeyong smiles fondly at the sight before informing them, “So today, the kids are eating with prospective parents.”

Donghyuck is smiling but underneath the dim lighting, Mark can’t help but to notice the way his eyes linger on Soobin, who’s shouting under the pressure of his great balancing act, and Soojin, who’s scolding him for his table manners despite adding more chopsticks on top of his nose. He seemed glad that the children would be finding homes, but Mark figured that a small part of him would miss them, especially the twins. Taeyong looks just as torn when he sighs before ushering them along once more.

“We’ll be eating at my house today.” He informs them making Mark frown in confusion.

“Taeyong hyung is friends with a lot of people from the ring, but he wants to keep that life separate from the orphanage. So, even though he spends a lot of time here, sometimes Mijoo or the other volunteers are left in charge while he’s at home or traveling with Taeil hyung to meetings on the surface.” Jeno explains, having fallen into step beside his cousin.

Mark nods, following the others out of a back door in the kitchen that Taeyong holds open for them. They walk along a small, wooden bridge that leads directly to another house. It’s slightly smaller than the orphanage, but when Taeyong ushers them inside, the dining room is just as large. The table extends from one corner to the next, the crystal chandeliers remind Mark of Kun’s house, and the plates and utensils are already set.

“Where’s Taeil hyung?” Donghyuck asks as he seats himself at one end of the table.

Jeno motions for Mark to take the seat beside Donghyuck before sitting down as well. Jaemin is beside him then Jisung followed by Renjun who has pulled out his brush and returned to fixing the younger’s hair.

“He’s going to be a bit late. The clinic has been busier than usual now that the championships are beginning.” Taeyong explains before glancing at his watch, “But Kun, Doyoung, and the others should be here any minute now.”

Mark finds himself confused at the mention of other guests, but one glance at the others and their indifference tell him that weekend dinners at Taeyong’s as a collective are normal. The sound of knocking at the door has Taeyong wandering off.

“Ah, there they are.”

Once the older man is gone, Mark watches as Donghyuck’s indifference shatters. He grips the table nervously and looks off to the side with the same distant look as the one in the Taxi. Sometimes Mark hates being so unsure. He knows he should reach over and comfort the other boy, but he’s not sure that holding Donghyuck’s hand will do anything to combat whatever Seochu is putting him through at the moment. So, he sits there and suffers from Donghyuck’s inability to cope and his own inability to even attempt to help him do so. The others are no better. For once, Jaemin and Jeno aren’t playing footsie under the table or even looking at each other, Jisung doesn’t complain about Renjun fixing his hair, and Renjun’s infectious energy fails to reach them. Instead, Mark looks up just in time to see Taeyong return with Doyoung and Jungwoo. The EMT looks tired but he still waves enthusiastically with a sweet smile.

“What is _Soobinie’s Water Park_ and why are there so many poorly drawn advertisements for it in the orphanage?” Doyoung asks with an amused grin as he pulls out a chair for Jungwoo before sitting down next to Donghyuck.

“Our youngest, Soobin, is really into construction these days. Last week he turned the hallway into a water park and a few days ago he made a toilet paper fort in the living room where he charged the other a kids a six thousand won entry fee, and yes, it all came from my wallet.” Taeyong explains before he smiles, eye twitching as he informs them, “Fortunately, all of his establishments have been shut down by what he calls the fire breathing dragon, aka me.”

“Oh, he’s made it really clear that the fire breathing dragon is anti-Soobinie and friends.” Doyoung says, pointing to a drawing hanging up in the corner with a laugh.

Soobin appears to have a drawn a couch surrounded by stick figures that Mark figures are meant to represent the other children pushing the piece of furniture. On top of the sofa is a puffy-faced stick figure that he associates with Soobin, a poorly drawn crown is on his head and a few other stick figures, seemingly mimicking a boat as they row with green lines that Mark only realizes are Taeyong’s bamboo plants. Taeyong is in the drawing as well, the same tall stick figure with fire coming out of his ears. _Sailor Soobinie and friends_ is scrawled across the top in a way that makes everyone smile while Taeyong shakes his head.

“It’s like he’s your apprentice or something.” Doyoung jokes, patting Donghyuck’s shoulder. He laughs when the younger swats him away, face flushed though he seemed to agree. He’s smiling again, making Mark relax and smile as well before more knocking at the door has Taeyong excusing himself once more.

This time he returns with Johnny who greets them all with a grin.

“Man, that Soobin kid is something else.” He informs them as he sits across from Doyoung, “He caught me in the hallway and tried to sell me a bowl of half-eaten rice for a hundred-thousand won.”

“First construction and marketing, now sales. You might have Seochu’s first millionaire on your hands soon, Taeyongie.” Doyoung says to which they all look amused, even Taeyong who shakes his head before retreating to the kitchen.

“Feeling better after literally knocking Minjun out of the championships?” Johnny aims his question at Jeno who shrugs and smiles bashfully, “That guy was ranked pretty high on the stats. You do realize if you keep it up, you’ll be looking at a championship nomination next, right? You know, that is if you don’t pass out when you get it.”

Mark found himself shocked at Johnny’s words. He didn’t understand the inner workings of the underground fighting ring or how its ranking system worked, but it seemed that his cousin had the possibility of following in Donghyuck’s footsteps. He wonders why Jeno hadn’t mentioned it to him, among the many other things he had so willingly explained about Seochu, but then he thinks of Donghyuck and the stress of a championship title and he realizes his cousin was probably more frightened by the prospect than excited. Doyoung and Donghyuck look proud of the possibility, but Jaemin looks apprehensive, smile faltering a bit from where he’s seated beside Jeno.

“No worries! He’s not prone to fainting spells. Being choked for so long just made him lightheaded, and it’s so hot in the arena, along with the cheering and the adrenaline of winning, he just kind of went down.” Jungwoo explains with a thumbs up, “But physically, he’s in great health.”

“I just hope he’ll leave Nana alone.” Jeno speaks up, unable to look at Jaemin with the way his face has turned bright red.

“I’m sure he’ll think twice now.” Johnny tells him with a smirk, “But in the case that he doesn’t, there’s always the chance of a rematch. Speaking of which, I’m holding a strength endurance training special next week for half the price-“

“Stop promoting your business at the dinner table!” Doyoung exclaims, tossing a pair of chopsticks at Johnny who dodges them expertly.

“How else are the bills going to get paid? I’m not like Soobinie, I don’t have multiple business ventures to my name!” Johnny shouts back, holding out his arm for protection.

Mark can’t help but laugh with the others, and when he looks over, Donghyuck’s eyes are bright underneath the dining room lights. There’s the sound of knocking at the door, Taeyong’s shouts that he’ll get it, and then the sound of footsteps before he watches the light fade from the younger’s eyes. All too soon, Donghyuck is shutting down, eyes downcast, shoulders drawn in, making Mark frown before he looks up at the new arrivals. Yukhei is the first to enter the dining room. He pulls out a chair across from Donghyuck and smiles at him, only to be ignored by the other boy. He seems to mask his hurt with a forced grin when he turns to Johnny and asks about next week’s training.

The next to enter is Xiaojun alongside another boy. He sits down across from Renjun and mimics Yukhei by smiling at the other boy. Renjun smiles back shyly before pretending to busy himself with fixing invisible wrinkles in Jisung’s button-down. The boy beside Xiaojun congratulates Jeno on his win against Minjun before proceeding to reenact the way both passed out during the fight, making Jaemin shake his head but laugh, nonetheless. The last to enter are Kun, Hendery, and a blond that mark has never seen before. Hendery tries to get the seat across from Mark but the blond shoos him away before grabbing it for himself. Kun sits next to him, and Hendery is forced to sit next to the animated boy that Jeno calls Yangyang.

“Finally, a new face around here. You’re Jeno’s cousin, right? Mark? I’m Chittaphon but you can call me Ten.” The blond’s smile is mischievous as he speaks. Mark shifts uncomfortably because it’s nothing like Donghyuck’s that he’s slowly become accustomed to. Instead, he watches as the older man looks him over before grinning, “You definitely didn’t get that outfit from here. So, you really are from the surface. Seoul, right? No wonder our Hendery likes you so much.”

Hendery looks used to Ten putting him on the spot, though he does give Mark an apologetic smile regardless. Donghyuck rolls his eyes at the gesture while Doyoung scoffs at Ten.

“This is dinner, not recruitment.” He tells the blond, “So you can cut it out. He’s not interested in leaving Seoul to be stuck down here getting his ass kicked to put money in your father’s pockets, Chittaphon.”

“Is there like a record for being the world’s most bitter person? Because you really qualify.” Ten replies with a smirk before he shrugs, “I didn’t think he was a fighter anyway, and it's not like we’re running low on those these days.”

“I imagine you’re probably not when you put the same fighter after a title that he’s already won.” Doyoung replies just as Taeyong returns to start serving the dishes. Mark can’t tell if he’s used to the tension or oblivious as he focuses on his task.

“It was Yukhei’s choice to complete again.” Kun speaks up though the way Yukhei frowns tells them that his manager and Ten probably had more influence in the decision that he had of a desire to step into the ring again.

“Did you really choose?” Johnny asks the boy beside him. Everyone turns to look at Yukhei, even Taeyong who’s pouring water in Jisung’s cup.

Mark notes that, for the first time, Donghyuck is staring at Yukhei unflinchingly. He seemed just as eager to hear the answer as the rest of them, though the way his fists were clenched at his side indicated that whatever it was, it was bound to upset him.

“Of course he did. Our fighters have free will and they’re actually taken care of, so they don’t step into the ring already at a disadvantage.” Ten says, with a blatant look aimed at Doyoung and Donghyuck, as if he can sense the brunet’s bruised rib. Doyoung looks annoyed but before he can speak up to defend his fighter or his managerial skills, Yukhei is speaking.

“I…I don’t know.” He admits slowly, as if he’s picking his words carefully. But it still seems to set Donghyuck of anyways.

“If you don’t know then why are you getting in the ring every night?” He replies, and Mark wonders if the way his body has tensed up so much in his anger is causing any pain to his ribs, “You’re competing because you want the title again, just admit it.”

“Why are you so angry with him about something that you both want?” Hendery speaks up before shrugging, “But I guess I can understand why you’re upset. I imagine a second loss will be worse than the first-“

“I _imagine_ you would know all there is to know about losing.” Donghyuck replies, “But we’re not talking about your field of specialty right now, Hendery. We can talk about your two or three wins and your one-sided crush on Mark hyung another day. I’m sure you’ll have just as much to say on that day too.”

The table is silent then as the words hang in there. Donghyuck is glaring at Hendery, who’s smirk has finally fallen. Yangyang looks as if he’d rather be anywhere else and Xiaojun is giving Hendery a look that says not to respond. Renjun and the others look concerned for Donghyuck, Johnny is shaking his head, and Mark isn’t sure what to make of it all. It’s Taeyong who sits in his chair and smiles awkwardly to relieve the tension.

“Maybe we should just eat.” He suggests timidly, and Mark hadn’t realized the table was now set. He reaches for his chopsticks just as Ten scoffs.

“Well, if you want to silence Hendery then I’ll gladly say it for him.” He speaks up, leveling Donghyuck with an even look, “We already know how this is going to end because we’ve seen it before, which is why it would be best if you just gave up-“

“No one is giving up.” Doyoung speaks up quickly, “The only way this is going to end is when one of them is the last man standing in the ring.”

“Why wait to get into the ring to settle this?” Ten replies, sitting up in his chair with an amused look, “You have four of your best fighters with you and so do I, and The Rift isn’t like the ring, it’s always open-“

“Is there a Saturday dinner where you all actually get along?” Johnny complains but Ten and Doyoung ignore him to exchange heated words.

Mark has never seen such nervous expressions from the same people who went to the arena each night and cheered for blood. It was clear that if things didn’t calm down soon, they’d be taking a trip to The Rift, except this time, there would be no laughter or exchanging warm smiles over sodas, and Mark doesn’t even want to imagine such a thing.

“Sorry I’m late, I hope I didn’t miss anything important.” A voice says, and Mark quickly tears his eyes away from the arguing pair to find a brunet man entering with a warm smile and a pouty Soobin clinging to his leg.

“Oh, you know, just the usual with Ten giving us his best Brutus, ready to give Doyoung here the big twenty-three while Kun gives us an Emmy award Cassius performance by sitting there and saying well, nothing.” Johnny informs him with a sigh, “Just another beautiful Saturday dinner at Taeyong’s Seochu senate.”

“Well…that sounds interesting.” The man replies, looking both amused and confused. Taeyong looks relieved at the sight of him until he seems to finally notice the boy clinging to his leg.

“Soobinie, you’re supposed to be having dinner with Mr. Jung.” Taeyong says despite holding his arms open for the small boy. Soobin doesn’t hesitate to run into them, allowing the older man to pick him up and sit him on his lap.

“I don’t want to have dinner with Mr. Jung.” Soobin pouts before murmuring, “…I don’t want to have a new dad. I like the ones I have now. I don’t want to leave Soojinie and my brothers and sisters. And how am I going to see Donghyuck if Mr. Jung takes me away-“

“I’m always going to be here, Soobin.” Donghyuck tells him quickly when the small boy’s voice grows shaky and his eyes become watery.

“And you don’t have to leave if you don’t want to.” The new arrival tells him comfortingly.

“You can stay as long as you want with Soojinie and the others.” Taeyong adds, rubbing the small boy’s back soothingly.

“R-Really?” Soobin replies, wiping at the tears that had managed to escape.

“Really” Taeyong tells him, wiping at his face as well.

“How are the friends going to have adventures without captain Soobinie there to save them from Taeyong and his fiery ears?” Doyoung speaks up, handing a napkin to Taeyong to wipe the boy’s face with an amused look. “What about Soobinie and friends?” 

“Soobinie and friends?” Soobin repeats unsurely. When everyone expresses their agreement that they’ll be sad if the adventures end and once Taeyong had finished wiping his face, Soobin stands and holds up his arms, exclaiming with a grin, “Soobinie and friends!”

Everyone at the table glances at each other before they all jump to their feet, shouting-

“ _Soobinie and friends_!”

Doyoung grabs the small boy from Taeyong’s lap before lifting him in the air so that the others can crowd him, pinching his cheeks, tickling him, and reminding him that they love him. The new arrival slings his arm around Taeyong, the pair watching with fond smiles. As Mark grips Soobin’s tiny hand in his, listens to the boy’s squeals of laughter, and watches Donghyuck’s face light up when their eyes meet, he smiles and wonders if this is all it takes in Seochu, something so small, to bring out all of the light.

_______________________

Mark finds out that the brunet’s name is Taeil, Dr. Moon Taeil. The older man is a therapist who owns the only clinic in the city. Though the doors were open for anyone, Jeno informed him that Taeil seemed particularly keen on improving the mental health of those in Seochu’s Underground fighting ring. Though Taeil was bright and seemed quite happy, it went without saying that he had probably seen and heard more than anyone else in the room about the fighting ring. Mark imagines that years of fighting could take a toll on anyone, and he wonders if, underneath Jaemin’s constant need to make sure that everyone was present and accounted for, Jeno’s selfishness that made him so eager to sacrifice, and Donghyuck’s determination to prove himself, lingered scars that he would never see. Perhaps Taeil knew of them.

He seemed particularly close with Donghyuck, who quickly turned into another Soobinie, clinging to Taeil as if he were a saving grace. Taeyong’s delight for having Donghyuck back with them, even just for a day, would show every time he paused and smiled out of pure delight. Soobin’s presence seemed to put an end to any further confrontations. Though the tension was there so were genuine laughs and smiles as they shared memories that revealed just how deep their history ran. After dinner, Kun, Ten, Johnny, Doyoung, and the others said their farewells on neutral grounds, though it was evident that their next meeting wasn’t promised to end the same. Mark volunteered to help Taeyong clean up (despite his protests) with the others. He spent the entire time sweeping the floor in a daze trying to figure out Donghyuck’s anger, Yukhei’s resolve, and Doyoung and Ten’s history, only to end up giving himself a headache in the process.

Once everything is clean, Taeyong and Soobin beg them to stay the night. It doesn’t take much for them agree, and after a shower, Mark finds himself in a pair of Taeil’s old pajamas, walking across the bridge to the orphanage to look at more of Soobin’s drawing in effort to rid himself of thoughts of the dinner. He’s roaming the halls, stopping to look at every Soobinie and friends picture when Soobin himself rides up on a scooter, wearing a bunny rabbit onesie with his chubby cheeks sticking out of the hoodie. 

“Mr. Mark, we’re watching Mulan!” He exclaims, “Come watch it with us.”

Mark shakes his head in amusement. For some reason, Soobin seemed keen on referring to him as Mr. Mark.

“How about Mark hyung instead?” He says to the small boy who simply shrugs in response.

“Okay _Mark hyung_ -” Soobin stresses before riding around Mark in circles on his scooter as he asks, “- do you like Donghyuck hyung?”

“What-“ Mark blurts out, ignoring the way his face heats up, “Why do you think I like Donghyuck?”

“Hm” Soobin hums before stopping his scooter with his foot and cocking his head to the side, “I thought I saw you smile at him, kind of like how my dad Taeyong looks at my father, Taeil. It was really wide! Like this!”

Mark watches as Soobin grabs the corners of his mouth and stretches until his cheeks resemble two marshmallow puffs. He found the sight to be cute and amusing. Soobin was just a kid. He knew not to take anything the younger boy said to heart. Kids always talked about what they saw, and maybe Mark had smiled at Donghyuck until it hurt like Soobin was showing him, but that didn’t mean anything. He pegs the racing of his heart and the cool dampness of his palm to the stressful dinner because he felt nothing more than the small possibility of a friendship with Donghyuck. That is if Mark ever found himself back in Seochu once all of this was over, but at the moment, he didn’t see anything coming out of it. He’d gotten a little closer to Donghyuck than he wanted to admit. He’s never been one for too much physical contact or letting others boss him around, but something about Donghyuck makes it really easy to give in…to everything. It frightens Mark, which is why he’s quick to play on the fact that Soobin is a child whose attention span is still quite fickle.

“I thought you said we were watching Mulan?” He reminds, watching as Soobin goes from staring at him suspiciously to ushering him to follow along.

“Oh yeah! Come on Mr. Mark hyung, we’re gonna miss the movie!” The small boy shouts before leading the way with his scooter, “Captain Soobinie will lead the way!”

Mark shakes his head at Soobin’s cuteness. He follows the small boy down the hall to the living room where the other kids are already gathered around the tv, watching Mulan. They don’t notice Mark when he sits down in front of the empty couch because they’re too busy jumping around, shouting the words to “I'll Make a Man Out of You.” Soobin quickly abandons his scooter, finding his sister in the crowd. He grabs Soojin’s hand, the twin duo jumping around in their matching white bunny onesies. Mark smiles, watching the children go through the entire song before they collapse into piles of exhaustion, watching the movie quietly as they drift off to sleep. Pretty soon, he finds himself blinking tiredly. He starts to rub at his eyes when he feels a presence behind him, and a pair of arms wrap around his waist. The smell of vanilla relaxes him as Donghyuck rests his head on his shoulder, soft strands of hair tickling Mark’s jaw.

“I’m sorry about the dinner.” His voice is quiet, difficult to hear even over the soft drawl of the television, “I wanted to punch Hendery.”

“But you didn’t.” Mark points out, “That’s progress, Hyuck.”

“I was going to break his nose, but I thought you might be upset if I hurt your little crush-“

“I don’t have a crush on Hendery.” Mark scoffs, and he hates that when he looks over, Donghyuck is so close that he can see the mischief in his brown eyes, “What makes you so sure that I even like boys?”

“Well, there’s three things. The first is the fact that you haven’t stopped Hendery’s 19th-century courting routine.” Donghyuck tells him, “The second is that, even though you’ve only known me for a week, you and I are already sleeping together-“

Mark isn’t sure what possesses him to tackle Donghyuck, but he ignores the fact that the other boy is caged beneath him to glance back, letting out a sigh of relief when he sees that the kids are still sleeping. When he turns back around, Donghyuck is staring up at him with a mischievous grin.

“Aren’t you going to let me get to the third thing?” He asks, blinking up innocently at Mark, who should know better by now.

But still, he sighs and asks anyway.

“What’s the third thing, Donghyuck?”

Mark really can’t help the widening of his eyes when Donghyuck sits up suddenly. The television light bathes his skin in a faded blue glow and his hands are soft when they grip Mark’s jaw. Just like that night at the Rift, Mark finds himself unable to do much of anything. A small part of him realizes that he should push the other boy away, but the part that scares him knows that he doesn’t mind. Somehow Donghyuck had a way of making everything feel normal, even the way he leans in closer to Mark’s face. His lips are seconds from gracing Mark’s jaw when a sleepy voice calls out –

“I knew you liked my Donghyuck hyung, Mr. Mark hyung.”

To Mark’s horror, when he scoots back from Donghyuck’s grasp and turns around, Soobin, who had fallen asleep beside his scooter, is blinking blearily at them. He smiles tiredly before his head drops and he passes out once more. Mark realizes his mortification must be evident on his face because Donghyuck takes one look at him and bursts out laughing. Face flushed, Mark stands and quickly leaves the room to return to Taeyong house, ignoring both Donghyuck’s loud laughter and the rapid, uncontrollable beating of his own heart.

_______________________

Sundays at the orphanage are chaotic. The kids storm Taeyong’s house and take as many socks as they can with them. When Mark follows an exhausted-looking Taeyong and the others to the orphanage, they follow a trail of socks to where Soobin is surrounded by his brothers and sisters after convincing them that he could make an air balloon out of their father’s socks. Taeil’s claims that it would make an interesting Soobin and friends drawing is the only thing that gets the small boy out of punishment from Taeyong. Wanting to escape his children, Taeyong leads them to the kitchen where, to his horror, they find Renjun making breakfast. The same boy who had held his dish is playing assistant chef. He runs up to Taeyong and salutes, making Renjun grin from where he’s taking something out of the oven.

“Dad sir! Master Chef Renjun has made cupcakes to feed our unit!” The small boy exclaims with a shrill voice to which everyone looks equally shocked.

“W-What” Jisung gasps, “And there’s no, like, orange juice drizzle or pepperoni stuffing or something?”

“Well, no sir, it’s just cupcakes with icing!” The little boy informs them.

“Wow” Jaemin says, “Renjun can make normal food?... I’m actually not sure how to process this.”

“Shouldn’t you be worried?” Taeil says to Taeyong, “You usually don’t let the kids have sugar this early-“

“Shh” Taeyong quickly shushes him, leaning close to whisper, “We’ll take what we can get.”

When Taeil nods, he smiles before making his way to Renjun.

“These look nice, Renjun.” He tells the brunet.

“Thanks. The kids were sad because they couldn’t eat what I brought yesterday. Something about Mijoo throwing it in the trash, so I decided to make them something to cheer them up.” Renjun explains as he puts a set of cupcakes on the counter to cool down.

“What made you decide to make cupcakes?” Jeno asks curiously. He and Jaemin have already found knives to start icing the cupcakes that have already cooled down. 

“Because, silly, kids can’t eat random concoctions all the time or they’ll get sick.” The brunet explains simply with a shrug, “Cupcakes are simple, so I made cupcakes.”

“…he doesn’t want the kids to get sick, but he’ll happily kill us with a Pop-tart Cheeto hot sauce supreme…” Jisung mutters, blinking owlishly beside Mark, “…is that not culinary murder in the first degree or…”

Mark snorts out a laugh when Jisung wanders off, muttering about the newfound intensity of the culinary manifesto. He turns just in time to see Donghyuck enter the kitchen, raising a brow at the sight of the batches of cupcakes covering the counters. Mark can feel his face flush as memories of last night return to him, the sweet smell of vanilla and the racing of his heart. Luckily, before they start to overwhelm him, Soobin arrives on his scooter.

“Yukhei’s here!” He announces, and then he turns to leave, but not before glancing at Mark and winking.

Mark nearly chokes, watching the small boy speed off on his scooter. He looks around to make sure no one else has noticed but the others are too busy helping Renjun with his cupcakes and Donghyuck is occupied with Yukhei’s arrival. Like last night, Yukhei looks unsure and hesitant, but there seems to be an unspoken communication before Donghyuck rolls his eyes and grabs his hand, leading him down the hall. Mark tries to focus on other things, like helping Jaemin and Jeno frost cupcakes, but he’s a bit relieved when they finish. He quickly excuses himself to go upstairs and wash his hands (despite Jeno calling after him that there’s a perfectly functioning sink in the kitchen).

Mark breezes past the various rooms upstairs, most empty because the children are downstairs, until he reaches one at the very end. Carefully, he peeks inside to see blue walls, a polished wooden floor, and bed with dark blue sheets. Donghyuck is sitting on a trunk in front of the bed and Yukhei is sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room. The silence is heavy, and it makes Mark wonder just how long they’ve been sitting in it when Donghyuck finally speaks.

“What do you want, Xuxi?”

Yukhei looks up, as if trying to sense Donghyuck’s emotions from his face, but its blank and most of all, Donghyuck simply looks exhausted.

“I want to apologize for the dinner. I know how much it means when you come back here. It means a lot to me too.” Is Yukhei’s response that makes Mark frown. Had Yukhei lived at the orphanage as well?

“If it means that much to you then why can’t you seem to remember the promises we made to each other when we were here?” Donghyuck replies, confirming Mark’s suspicions when he adds, “The ones we made in this room…”

“I do think about them.” Yukhei tells him quietly, “They’re the reason I came to apologize… but I also came to ask you to think about what Ten said. I know it was harsh, but-“

“You want me to give up too?” Donghyuck interrupts with a scoff, “Because you don’t believe in me either, right?”

“I believe in you, Donghyuck, more than I believe in myself sometimes. But belief means nothing here, not in Seochu. The reality is more important, and I swore to myself that we’d never stand face to face in the ring again, but each night that we win, I know that day is getting closer. The title was mine before they decided to void it.” Yukhei replies and for once, he looks full of conviction. He looks like someone can Donghyuck can trust, which frightens Mark more than anything else, “I know I can win it again, but I won’t hurt you for it, so I need you to let it go.”

He’s relieved to see Donghyuck shake his head in disbelief.

“You want me to just let it go and give it to you so you can run off and break your promise again?” The brunet replies. His voice is shaky, but he doesn’t look angry like with Hendery at the dinner. Instead, he looks so sad that Mark feels an ache in his chest at the sight of his empty eyes and the sound of his quiet words, “All of Seochu thinks you’re a god, Xuxi. I wonder what people would say if they knew their god planned on abandoning them. We give hope to the people here, so one of us has to care. I’m not fighting for myself, Yukhei. I never was.”

Mark knows that, even in his misery, Donghyuck has made Seochu his life. But Yukhei doesn’t have words to spare for the people or the lost, underground city. 

“I do care.” Yukhei tells him, and Mark watches as he stands from the chair to sit beside the brunet on the trunk, “I care about you, which is why I’m trying to get you to see that you have the chance to make this right.”

“You want me to sacrifice everything I’ve worked hard for just for a chance? Maybe you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.” Donghyuck replies with a scoff, looking down at the ground when he mutters, “Mark’s only been in Seochu for a week, but I think even he knows me better than that.”

Even at the dinner, Mark hadn’t seen Yukhei get upset. But now, he watches the other boy’s brows furrow and he looks annoyed.

“Don’t bring him up-“ He says, but Donghyuck merely smirks.

“Why not? Are you jealous?” Is his response before his voice grows unsteady and he chokes out a quiet, “Or are you afraid that I’ll find a reason not to keep sacrificing myself with the hope that you’ll come back?”

There’s a silence in which Yukhei stares at Donghyuck and the brunet’s eyes are downcast, unable to look at the boy beside him. Mark’s never been an expert at reading other people, but where Donghyuck seemed more vulnerable, Yukhei seemed very intent on not returning to any past so long as there was a future that needed molding.

“If you love me, you wouldn’t hesitate to make what could be your last sacrifice, Hyuck.” Yukhei speaks up finally, “You like to act like you have it all together, but I see it every time I see you. You want things back to the way they were, things like you and me. But you must not want it badly enough because if you did, you’d promise that when you step into that ring tomorrow tonight, you’ll raise your hand and forfeit, and you’ll trust that this time, when I get the title, I won’t leave you behind.”

By now, he’s reached over and pulled Donghyuck closer to him, but unlike with being so close to Mark, Donghyuck isn’t smiling. His eyes are downcast, refusing to meet Yukhei’s eyes. 

“I can’t take that chance…” The brunet’s voice is quiet with resolve.

“But you can at least try.” Yukhei tells him, grabbing Donghyuck’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, “And trust me to make it worth it. I’m not leaving you behind again. I promise.”

Mark is expecting several things. He wants Donghyuck to keep his resolve, to be outspoken like he was with Hendery. He thinks Donghyuck is going to refuse much more firmly, to show anger or irritation. A small part of him just knows the brunet isn’t going to fall for it. But then he watches as Donghyuck says nothing. And for someone who’s so keen on voicing his thoughts most of the time, Donghyuck’s silence, in Mark’s opinion, is the worst response of all.

_______________________

After Yukhei leaves, they spend the rest of the day playing with children, eating cupcakes, and watching Disney movies. Soobin decides to have Jaemin and Jeno reenact the wedding scene from The Little Mermaid, only to initiate a cupcake war seconds later that makes Taeyong nearly faint from the mess they make of his kitchen. After that, they’re sent outside (except Soobin who ends up on punishment), where they draw with chalk and Renjun challenges Jisung to a race only to fall over five seconds into it, breathing heavily and complaining about frosting fatigue (“That’s not real, hyung.” Jisung had scrunched his nose at the excuse). When the evening hits, Doyoung and Jungwoo arrive to take Donghyuck to the arena. Soobin cries despite the brunet’s promise to return soon and Soojin has to be pried away from the fighter’s legs by Taeyong, who tells Donghyuck to be careful and wishes him luck, alongside Taeil who gives him a thumbs up and a warm smile.

Soon after Donghyuck’s departure, nightfall hits and it’s time for the rest of them to head to the arena. Taeyong and Taeil send them off with a Tupperware full of cupcakes, the kids wave and shout as they leave, and Soobin even hugs Mark goodbye, stuffing something in his pocket and making him promise not to look at it until he left. Mark promises and when they’re waving at the children as the Taxi pulls away, he feels a strange sense of loss along with the overwhelming swell of happiness in his chest. The car ride is silent, and Mark realizes that, for once, the others seemed a bit nervous going to the arena.

The arena itself is the most packed he’s ever seen. They have to fight their way to the front because without Donghyuck, they can’t quite skip the line. Luckily, Jungwoo is outside waiting for them. He’s just about to lead them inside when Mark’s phone rings. One glance at the caller ID makes him curse. He excuses himself from the others with the promise that he’ll find them inside after he takes the call. He finds a spot with fewer people and accepts the call.

“Is there a reason you didn’t show up to Sunday dinner besides the bs excuse you gave your parents about a study group?” His cousin, Jaehyun greets, and the noise on his end, lets Mark know that he’s probably sitting in the garage with their other cousins, playing cards as they usually did after Sunday dinner.

“I’m just really behind on school work and-“

“I don’t know why you feel the need to lie to me when we’re almost the same age.” Jaehyun interrupts, but he doesn’t sound upset, “Jeno isn’t here either, he’s not answering his phone, and I know you’re with him. So, what’s the real reason you’re not here?”

Mark hesitates. He knew he could trust Jaehyun. Despite being slightly older, his cousin was relaxed and understanding, especially in comparison to the rest of their family. He wouldn’t tell Mark or Jeno’s parents about the underground fighting ring, but he would be concerned for Jeno’s safety and it wasn’t exactly Mark’s place to tell Jeno’s secret.

“I’ll tell you later, but I really have to go right now, hyung.” He answers truthfully because the fight would be starting any minute.

“Okay, fine. Just make sure you don’t forget to actually tell me when we get back to campus.” Jaehyun tells him, and Mark can practically see his cousin rolling his eyes, “See you, Minhyung.”

Mark says a quick goodbye before hanging up. He turns and prepares to head back into the arena when he remembers something. He’s not sure what possesses him to, but he digs into his pocket for whatever Soobin had stuffed into it. He furrows his brow when he pulls out a folded piece of paper before he unravels it to reveal a drawing. Instead of stick figures, Soobin has actually attempted to draw people. Their heads are ridiculously huge, and Mark’s legs look like two hot dogs, but he can’t help but be touched because Soobin drew a picture of Mark and Donghyuck while in time out. He takes note of black scribble Soobin makes of Mark’s outfit and the faint dots of Donghyuck’s moles that he hasn’t forgotten. He’s drawn a wide, curved line for smiles, but it’s the writing scribbled at the top that makes Mark smile.

_Donghyuckie and friend_

Mark’s heart aches in a way that he thinks might be good. His hand shakes slightly when he tucks the drawing back into his pocket, and he has to force himself to stop smiling when he makes it into the arena. He roams through the crowd of people, overwhelmed by the smell of popcorn, loud voices, and bodies brushing past. He’s just about to pull out his phone and call Jeno when an arm reaches out and grabs him.

“Are you looking for your cousin?” It’s Xiaojun, waiting rather politely for a response.

He seemed to lack Ten’s outspokenness, Hendery’s arrogance, Kun’s indifference, and Yukhei’s unpredictability. Instead, he looks patient and not as if he has some hidden agenda, which is enough to make Mark nod.

“Follow me.” The brunet tells him before leading him through the crowd.

They push past people for several minutes before Xiaojun points in a random direction. Mark looks over to see Jeno and the others. When he turns back around to thank Xiaojun, the other boy has already turned around and is going to stand where Mark can see Hendery and Yangyang waiting for him. He watches him go briefly before making his way to the others. Doyoung, Jungwoo, and Johnny are talking, Jisung is pulling his usual routine of begging for snacks from Renjun and Jaemin, and Jeno is looking around worriedly until he notices Mark. 

“There you are.” His cousin greets him, looking relieved.

“Jaehyun called.” Mark tells him, watching as his cousin looks worried. “I think he’ll understand, Jeno.”

Jeno looks unsure, but then Mark watches as he nods.

“I hope so.” He says quietly before movement catches their attention.

When Mark looks over, he notices two double doors that seemed to lead to a locker room. He’s just barely caught sight of them when they come bursting open and Ten comes walking out, and Mark doesn’t see anything wrong with it until Donghyuck appears behind him, and he realizes that the older man was probably finishing what Yukhei might have failed to complete.

“Why is he on this side of the arena?” Doyoung questions, approaching Ten with an irritated look.

“That’s a good question.” Ten replies with an amused smirk, “I’m usually not on the losing side, but I thought I’d give Donghyuck some _championship advice_ -“

His words are enough to set Doyoung off, but before he can make any move to attack the other male, Johnny is grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the ring. Ten looks even more amused by watching Doyoung struggle. Jungwoo shakes his head before trailing behind them. Mark follows after Donghyuck for a few steps before the fighter disappears towards the ring. The fact that Donghyuck doesn’t look back or acknowledge any of them makes him frown as he’s left to stand there beside Ten.

“There’s something you should know about me that I forgot to mention yesterday, Mark.” The older man says, dark eyes shining beneath the arena lights, “I _always_ get my way.”

When Donghyuck steps into the arena, his opponent is already standing there, taller, bigger, and serious with the plight of the championships on his shoulders. The ref is quick to scramble into the ring and appear beside them. Mark covers his ears from just how loud the arena has grown. It’s deafening, the screaming and shouting, and the blinding lights are harsh on his eyes. But it all ceases the moment Donghyuck slowly raises his hand. Mark can feel his heart drop. When he looks over, Ten is smirking, Doyoung looks tense, Jungwoo looks worried, and Johnny looks prepared for the worst. Jeno is shaking his head in disbelief, Jaemin looks confused, Renjun looks nervous, and Jisung is watching closely.

The silence that follows in the arena is _deadly_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original dinner I planned was much more intense but I somehow got caught up in the orphanage and the kids and it took a somewhat softer turn?? lol, I still tried to hint at a few issues that are going to get more intense as the story progresses. Things have been pretty light so far, but since this is from Mark's perspective, he's still missing a lot of backstory about Seochu and the people he's met. Donghyuck and Yukhei's relationship is still in the process of unraveling since they have a backstory that will pretty much explain Donghyuck's unpredictable reactions when it comes to Yukhei. I hope this chapter was decent and I would love to know your thoughts! : ) 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone is safe/healthy! ❤️️


	7. I hope it's love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope it’s love. I’m trying really hard to make it love.
> 
> Richard Siken, Self-Portrait Against Red Wallpaper

The small wave Donghyuck gives sends the arena into an uproar.

Mark feels his anxiety wash away, and when he looks back, Ten is no longer smirking. Instead, he crosses his arms over his chest, annoyed. Doyoung looks visibly relieved as cheering and shouting fill their ears once more. It seemed that, just like with Yukhei, whatever words Ten had used to try to sway Donghyuck failed to stick with the fighter. He refused to forfeit the title, and Mark wasn’t sure why he felt overwhelmed with pride because of it. Suddenly, he felt like he belonged, standing there beside Jeno and the others and even the likes of Johnny and Doyoung. Usually, Mark spent Sundays at home. He listened to his mother brag about his studies to his aunts and he played cards with his cousins in the garage until Jaehyun got tired of winning. But tonight, he was miles below them in Seochu, in the middle of championships, deafening cheers, barely restrained tension, Yukhei’s and Ten’s, Doyoung’s and Donghyuck’s, but he knows this is where he’s meant to be, with his heart in his throat, waiting.

But he doesn’t have to wait long because the ref is already backing away from the pair, and just like with Jeno’s match, Mark barely has time to prepare himself for what comes next. He’s expecting Donghyuck to make the first move, but the ref has just barely stepped back and Donghyuck’s opponent is already rushing at him. The blond boy is fast and measured on his feet, but Donghyuck is able to dodge the first jab aimed at his face, but it’s the second, a fake that Donghyuck manages to evade as well that hides a punch to the stomach from the blonde’s left hand. It occurs to Mark that it could be a coincidence that the impact of the blond’s fist slams into Donghyuck’s bruised side.

But he’s more concerned with the few seconds that follow in the brunet tries to hide his pain but it's evident in the tightening of his jaw. His opponent doesn’t look surprised by the current liability Donghyuck’s lower body imposed, but the shock is evident that he’s managed to use it to his advantage so quickly. He knows not to let the advantage go to waste, so Mark holds his breath when the blond aims another jab at the bruised ribcage, but this time, Donghyuck has managed to regain both his footing and a temporary hold on his pain, because he drives forward and aims a punch at the blond’s face that Mark is sure would have broken the boy’s nose, had the blond not attempted to stumble back to dodge it, which seemed to make it worse.

The sound of Donghyuck’s fist slamming into the blond’s face seems to echo, even in the packed arena, it’s quick and loud, followed by the scrambling of his opponent as he’s sent stumbling back so far that he nearly topples over. He grabs the ropes for balance, and where Donghyuck seemed able to quickly tuck the pain away, Mark watches his opponent's eyes dart around in disorientation before he grabs his jaw shakily, slides his hand up to his mouth then leans over and spits out a pool of blood. No one in the arena flinches, a deadly silence hangs over them, and even Mark is ashamed to admit that he’s glad it's not the other way around. When the blond wipes at the blood smeared around his mouth, it reveals his teeth, stained crimson, loose and cracked beneath a stream of adrenaline. Still, he trudges through his own blood, leaving a faint trail in his path as he narrows in on Donghyuck once more.

As the blond recovered, Donghyuck seemed to have begun to lose the fight with his own pain. The bright lights of the arena made it hard to miss his shaky breathing from the throbbing pain that seemed difficult to overcome with each passing second. Unfortunately, the moment the blond is upon him again, pain flares in his ribcage making him flinch and completely vulnerable to his opponent’s mechanisms. The blond slams his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders, forcing the brunet down as he knees him in the stomach, a sharp, swiftly executed move that makes Donghyuck cry out in pain as solid muscle collides with enflamed, sensitive flesh. The force sends him crashing to his knees where he doubles over, hands trembling as they came to grip his side. The strangled gasps of breath that escaped him let Mark know that in just those few seconds, his injury had reached its limit.

“I think his rib just cracked.” Johnny says, shaking his head and that’s how Mark knows that things might over sooner than any of them are expecting.

“Then it’s best to just forfeit.” Ten appears with a look of false pity, “A true champion knows when they’ve lost.”

For once, Doyoung ignores him. He’s too busy staring at Donghyuck who’s trembling has worsened. Breathing seemed to bring forth overwhelming pain that made him grit his teeth, but he kept himself upright with a shaky hand on the ground and another clutching his side.

“It’s okay, Donghyuck.” Doyoung speaks up quietly. He looks remorseful, as if the sacrifice isn’t worth it. He shakes his head before adding a gentle, “Just stay down.”

It was evident that he no longer wanted the match to continue. He’s just about to motion to the ref when Renjun rushes past him with Jaemin, Jisung, and Jeno, who grabs Mark’s hand and pulls him along as well. They’re so close to the ropes that Mark can smell the blood and the tension invades his senses, making him shiver.

“No! Don’t give up!” Renjun shouts, “You can win this, Hyuck, I know you can!”

“Everyone here believes in you.” Jeno adds, “Just hang on and see it through to the end.”

Mark isn’t sure if their words were able to reach the brunet but then he sees it, the faint nodding of Donghyuck’s head. His opponent, the blond, has spit out another spiral of blood, including a chip of his now cracked tooth that makes Mark cringe. The sight seems to upset the blond because he spits out more blood before straightening and closing in on Donghyuck once more. A cracked rib meant slow movements and even slower response time, but Donghyuck simply seemed disoriented and unaware of what was headed his way. His entire time in Seochu, Mark has been silent, deciding to let the life around him speak to him instead. He was a listener, a bystander in the underground, an ear for many stories and voices. He isn’t sure what possessed him to step forward, but before he knows it, he’s yelling at the arena as well.

“Donghyuck!”

It’s a warning about the blond closing in on him, and it seems to snap Donghyuck out of his disorientation. Just as his opponent levels a kick at him, the brunet pushes through the pain in his ribcage to grab the blond’s leg and pull him down. His opponent flails, black slamming against the ground loudly, making him grunt in pain. Donghyuck is quick to climb on top of him, preventing the blond’s escape as he draws his fist back and brings it down sharply, striking his opponent in the cheek. The blow blurs the blond’s vision, slowing his movements as he struggles to roll from under the brunet. He claws and punches at Donghyuck's ribcage, blood dribbling down his chin as he slams his hands against the sensitive bruising. 

But Donghyuck merely grits his teeth, draws his fist back once more and slams it against the other boy’s jaw with enough force to send the blond’s head whipping to the left, colliding with the cold, solid ground of the ring. All movement in the ring ceases as the blond goes still, head drawn to one side, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth with Donghyuck hovering over him, breathing heavily. There’s a brief pause before the ref rushes forward and hauls Donghyuck up, lifting up his hand to declare him the winner. The brunet’s cry of pain is drowned out by the uproar in the arena. 

“Now that’s a championship knockout!” Renjun exclaims, mimicking a punch as they try not to get swept away by the onslaught of people pushing, cheering, and yelling.

Jungwoo and the other EMTs are tending to Donghyuck, so they have no choice but to return to where Doyoung is with Johnny and Ten. Mark listens as Jaemin talks about the blond’s shattered tooth and Jisung covers his ears and shouts about how gross the ring can be. Jeno is hyping up Renjun’s fighting moves as if he’s his coach before a scoff catches their attention. When Mark looks back, Ten is shaking his head.

“A true champion knows when they’ve lost, just like Donghyuck knew from the very beginning that he could win.” Johnny tells him, “You might want to start believing in this kid, Ten. I’d hate for him to have to keep proving you wrong.”

“If this is his way of doing that then he can definitely keep trying.” Ten replies with a shrug and a smirk, “I’m sure that by the time his match with Yukhei rolls around, a cracked rib won’t be the only thing holding him back.”

Johnny looks disappointed with the smaller man and his words, but he doesn’t offer a response. Instead, Xiaojun, Yangyang, and Hendery emerge from the crowd.

“That was a really good match.” Xiaojun says, looking somewhat awed. Renjun smiles at his words, and even Jeno looks pleased. 

“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting Donghyuck to knock that guy _and_ his tooth out!” Yangyang exclaims, bouncing around in his excitement. Jisung laughs at the sight and even Jaemin snorts in amusement.

“Why don’t you guys go check on your new champion too while you’re at it?” Hendery scoffs, rolling his eyes at their words.

“We don’t have time for this.” Ten interrupts, leveling Xiaojun and Yangyang with a sharp look, “ _Let’s go_.” 

Xiaojun rolls his eyes at the older man but he and Yangyang do as asked, following Hendery when he trails after Ten who storms off. As they leave, Yangyang turns around and makes motions that Ten is crazy, making Mark and the others grin in amusement. On their way out, they pass Kun and Yukhei, who seemed to have just now arrived. If Mark didn’t know any better, he would trust a distant inkling that told him that Kun and Ten had made it so that Yukhei would miss the match. It just didn’t make sense that Yukhei wouldn’t be there to see Donghyuck fight, even if they had exchanged heated words earlier that same day.

Even now, Mark can see how upset Yukhei looks. The bright arena lights only cease to highlight the turmoil evident in the dark state of his troubled eyes and the tensing of his shoulders. Kun looks mostly unaffected, like someone giving a last-minute presentation for the sake of public appearance. At the sight of Ten, he falls into step with the blond and the others but Yukhei lingers behind. Mark watches the brunet’s gaze roam around the arena before they finally land on the ring where Jungwoo is pressing a cold pack to Donghyuck’s rib as he asks him questions. His gaze seems to soften at the sight before he looks around once more.

Finally, his eyes land on Mark. Mark stares back, and even with the bright arena lights blinding him, it’s hard not to notice the shift in Yukhei’s gaze. He’s not sure what to make of it, the way Yukhei stares at him before Kun comes back and places gentle hands on the brunet’s shoulders, guiding him away with the others.

“What was that?” When Mark looks over, Jaemin is standing there, brows furrowed in concern.

“I don’t know.” Is his quiet response.

He had a bad feeling, but he decides to shrug it off to follow the others as they start to make their way out of the crowded arena.

The celebration of the championship match is held a place called The Pit.

Mark is expecting another gritty Underground Escape or bridge underpass like The Rift, but The Pit, ironically enough, is on the rooftop of an abandoned hotel. Lights wrapped around the railing, bonfires illuminated the night, the crackles of flames mixing in with strobe lights, there was an outside bar bustling with food, drinks, and people, the rooftop was packed with smiling, hazy faces and loud laughter drowned out by the echo of music from the DJ booth. As Jeno pulls him along by the hand, Mark feels overwhelmed by the vibration of music and the intoxicating smell of perfumes, nicotine, smoke, alcohol, and fried foods. They were supposed to be on the train back to Seoul, but for some odd reason, Mark wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Seochu just yet. There was someone he had to see first before he left.

Jeno leads him to the railing where a familiar figure is leaning against it, staring down at the city below despite being surrounded by people. He seemed exhausted and slightly out of it. But when Mark approaches, he watches as the brunet’s eyes light up.

“You’re still here.” Donghyuck says, he abandons the railing to come stand in front of Mark.

By Now, Jeno has slipped off in search of Jaemin, and Mark is left to stare at the boy in front of him. Donghyuck’s bare face is fresh and it looks soft in the glow of the lights. The bonfires illuminate the warmth in his brown eyes when he stares at Mark, but they also highlight the exhaustion lingering beneath his excitement. Even while fighting back tears and pain, Donghyuck refused to go to the hospital. He took whatever treatment Jungwoo could provide him on the spot then dragged his tired body home and passed out. While he rested and Renjun took care of him, the others had gone to Doyoung’s apartment to eat and give them space. Mark had struggled to hide his worry behind forced smiles and distracted laughs. He was glad that Donghyuck was standing before him now, despite the shaky jerking of his ribcage with each breath and the faint tremor of pain. For the most part, he seemed to be doing what Jeno had asked of him. Donghyuck was hanging on, which meant that eventually, he would be okay.

“I wanted to see you before I left.” Mark isn’t sure what makes him admit it, but he instantly regrets it. His face flushes and he tries to turn away because he isn’t used to being so open but Donghyuck is already crowding his space, wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck and drawing him closer. 

“Is this your way of admitting that you like me, Mark Lee?” He teases with a grin that makes Mark roll his eyes.

“I’m serious, Donghyuck. I couldn’t imagine fighting after an injury like that, pushing through the pain and winning.” Mark says, and Donghyuck is too close, with brown eyes illuminated by lights and soft fingers that ghost across Mark’s neck that make him whisper, “You’re amazing.”

Donghyuck’s eyes light up and he smiles, all brightness and delight. He steps forward, closing any space left between them. Mark is invaded by the smell of warm vanilla and the tightening of his chest as his heart begins to race, making him delirious with anticipation. A strong sense of longing overwhelms him and for once, it outweighs every instinct telling him to turn away and reject the boy in front of him. Instead, he grabs Donghyuck’s arms with his hands to steady himself and remind himself that this is what he wants. The music has faded into a dull echo, drowned out by the loud beating of his heart. Donghyuck’s hand comes to clutch his cheek and when he tilts his head and leans in, Mark’s breath hitches.

“Sorry to interrupt-“ A voice says before someone is grabbing Donghyuck’s arm, pulling him away from Mark. It’s one of the bouncers, a man who stares at Mark curiously as if surprised to have caught their champion so close to an unfamiliar face. Donghyuck is the one to block his view, stepping in front of Mark and making the man’s face turn bright red as he informs them, “There’s a problem at the entrance.”

Donghyuck nods, allowing the older man to lead the way. He grabs Mark's hand securely in his, keeping the dark-haired boy behind him as they follow the bouncer through the crowd. People stare at them, shouting congratulations to Donghyuck, giving him proud taps on the shoulder, but mostly, they stare at Mark, who does his best to ignore their curious looks. Instead, he focuses on the warmth of Donghyuck’s hand in his and the way his heart was finally beginning to calm to a dull echo. The problem at the entrance turns out to be Xiaojun and Yangyang being blocked from entering the rooftop by a group of bouncers.

“Hey!” Yangyang calls out when he spots Donghyuck and Mark, “Tell Shrek here to let us in.”

The dark-haired boy places two fingers against his head, mimicking the ears of the bouncer in front of him with a teasing grin. It wasn’t a surprise that the bouncers were hesitant to allow them entry. At dinner, Doyoung had informed them that Ten was making their rivalry public with the hopes of making the city pick a side. According to his system, those who didn’t support Yukhei weren’t allowed to associate with the likes of him and Kun because they were automatically considered supporters of Donghyuck.

Doyoung said that he didn’t like dirty politics or rivalries that carried outside the ring, but he also warned them to keep their distance from Yukhei and the others since Ten and Kun’s influence carried more weight than they liked to let on. Mark thinks of Yukhei showing up to the match last minute and he wonders how Yangyang and Xiaojun have managed to escape Ten and Kun to show up at The Pit. If Donghyuck had the same thoughts, he didn’t let them show. Instead, Mark watches as he motions for the bouncers to let the two boys in.

“It’s okay.” He says, “They’re with me.”

The bouncers look hesitant, but eventually, they step aside to do as asked. Yangyang sticks his tongue out at them as he passes and Xiaojun shakes his head at his friend.

“What’s with the extra security?” Xiaojun raises his brow at Donghyuck.

“You’re asking me that as if you don’t know you have a complete psychopath and an undercover narcissist for managers.” Donghyuck tells him with an amused smirk.

“He has a point.” Yangyang says with a grin, and no one denies Donghyuck’s claim.

“Well, we’re just here to help you celebrate. No surprise attacks or sucker punches. I promise.” Xiaojun tells the brunet with a small smile, “So, how about a round of shots on us? And you too Mark, how about a little drinking contest?”

Mark wants to be cautious but the way Xiaojun smiles at him catches him off guard. He seemed trustworthy, lacking the cool stiffness that accompanied Kun and the brash arrogance that seemed to surround Ten. Yangyang, who’s already cheering loudly behind him, tapping Donghyuck’s shoulder to the beat of the music, didn’t seem to have bad intentions either. 

“I’m in.” Mark tells him making Donghyuck snort.

“You do realize we’ll be going up against iron gut Renjun, right?” The brunet teases making Mark snort out a laugh before they follow Xiaojun and Yangyang to the bar.

They push through the tightly packed bodies, making their way to the equally crowded bar. But Yangyang just pushes his way to the front, ignoring the offended cries of the people he shoves aside. Xiaojun just shakes his head as if he’s used to it and Donghyuck laughs.

“Can we get shots for that table?” Yangyang asks the bartender, jerking his thumb in a random direction, “And like, can you keep them coming? Seriously, don’t stop, we’ve got the champion and apparently someone with an iron gut-“

The bartender, a blonde woman, nods, already making drinks at the mention of the champion, though the mention of an iron gut seemed to have confused her. Xiaojun grabs Yangyang and pulls him away before he can confuse her even more while Mark has to stop Donghyuck from laughing when he clutches his ribcage in pain. They make their way to a table where Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, and Jisung are. Jaemin and Jeno are in their own world and Renjun takes a break from his chicken wing to snatch a beer can that Jisung has stolen. He tosses it in the crowd, scolding the blond while Jisung pouts and complains that he’s _not_ a baby. Renjun opens his mouth to reply but when he spots Xiaojun, he chokes on thin air.

“Ah seriously, don’t die at like two in the morning.” Jisung complains as he pats the brunet’s back, “All of the insurance places are closed.”

“I have to go.” Renjun blurts out once he’s recovered from his choking fit. He stands from his chair, prepared to flee, but Donghyuck is quicker. He grabs the back of the other boy’s shirt.

“No, you don’t, you’re iron gut Renjun, right? We’re about to have a drinking contest so stay, sit, drink-“ He tells the brunet with a smirk, leaning in closer to whisper, “-admire Xiaojun”

“No, no-“ Renjun tells him, placing his hands on Jisung’s shoulder, “I’ve really got to stop drinking so I can take better care of my kid, right Jisungie?”

“Are you kidding me?” Jisung scoffs, “Last week you made me rub your feet while you ate sour cream out the jar and butchered Mariah Carey’s _We Belong Together_ and you were _sober_ , hyung.”

“Kids say the darndest things.” Renjun says with a forced grin.

“I also have a video-“ Jisung starts, pulling out his phone, making Renjun’s eyes twitch. The brunet grabs the iPhone, tossing it in the crowd behind them, making the blond call out, “Hey!”

“I don’t think I would mind seeing that video.” Xiaojun speaks up with an amused smile, making Renjun groan as he sinks down in his chair once more and Jisung disappears in the crowd in search of his phone.

“Aren’t you missing two people?” Jaemin asks Yangyang and Xiaojun, referring to Yukhei and Hendery.

“Yukhei’s not feeling well, and Hendery decided to spend the night at the Rift.” Xiaojun informs them, taking the other seat beside Renjun, who’s fanning at his bright red face quickly.

“He’s spending a Sunday night at the Rift?” Jeno sits up with a frown, “Why?”

“I actually don’t know. You know Hendery just kind of does his own thing.” Is Xiaojun’s response that makes Jeno frown deepen. For once, it was hard to tell if he was being genuine. His response was vague, and he seemed to be glancing at Yangyang as if asking him to help change the subject.

“Shots are here!” Yangyang exclaims quickly at the sight of the waitress carrying the tray. He accepts it from her and places it on the small table in front of them, taking a shot glass for himself and holding it up, “May the most solid iron gut win aka me.”

“Excuse me, are you really going to disrespect my legacy in front of me and my chicken wing?” Renjun speaks up, handing his chicken wing to the person nearest to him, which just so happens to be Xiaojun who blinks in surprise as he holds the piece of chicken. They watch as Renjun steps up beside Yangyang, grabbing his own shot glass before poking him in the chest, “You’re on. Let’s go two-dimensional energizer bunny.”

Yangyang snorts at his words before both raise the shot glasses to their mouth. Jaemin counts them off with an amused voice and once he hits three, they both down the brown liquor. Yangyang crinkles his nose when he finishes, but for the most part, he looks fine as he sets down the empty shot glass. Renjun scrunches his face, dropping his shot glass as if he’s been poisoned. He clutches his chest and stumbles his way towards Mark, falling dramatically against the dark-haired boy.

“Mark-“ He gasps out, clutching the older boy’s shirt, “…make sure Jisung cleans his room.”

Mark laughs when Renjun shuts his eyes, head resting against his chest as he plays dead. The others snort in amusement, Jaemin shakes his head, and Donghyuck tells Renjun to come back to life because the insurance office is still closed.

“Cute.” Xiaojun claps with an amused smile.

At his words, Renjun’s eyes fly open and he screams like he’s in an opera before promptly dying again, falling back against Mark’s chest limply.

“Jisung, come get your ailing father.” Donghyuck calls out to the blond who’s finally returned from retrieving his phone.

“Is he gone yet?” Jisung asks, peering at Renjun who’s still playing dead. The sight makes the blond smile and shrug before accepting the shot Yangyang hands him, “Finally-“

“I don’t think so!” Mark laughs once more as he watches Renjun jump up, eyes flying open as he runs towards Jisung and his shot glass. The blond’s eyes widen as he takes off with the brunet behind him shouting, “I was dead for two minutes and this is the path you take Park Jisung-“

While Jisung runs into the crowd with Renjun behind him, shouting about being hunted by the ghost of his father, Yangyang passes out the rest of the shots. Mark stares at the brown liquor before he downs it, cringing afterward at the strong taste. When he looks over, Donghyuck’s nose is crinkled.

“This tastes absolutely disgusting.” He says before motioning to Yangyang, “I’ll have another one.”

The waitress and Yangyang keep a constant stream of shots on hand. It’s almost automatic, the way Mark accepts them from Donghyuck and downs them without question. He’s used to sneaking drinks on Sunday in the garage with his cousins, so for the most part, he’s accustomed to the warmth in the pit of his gut and the burning in his cheeks, making him smile dazedly at nothing in particular. Xiaojun is laughing at nothing, Yangyang alternates between being a server, dancing, and challenging the people around him to drinking contests and Donghyuck hypes him up as much as he can before he’s left wheezing from the strain of his injury and Mark has to force him to sit down.

Eventually, he looks around and realizes Jaemin and Jeno have disappeared. It’s getting well into the morning and they have class in just a few hours, so Mark asks a drunk Xiaojun to watch Donghyuck and Yangyang while he searches for his cousin. He pushes his way through the crowd and even stumbles across Jisung hyping up Renjun who’s competing in a break-dancing contest with a new chicken wing in his mouth. Mark shakes his head before making his way back through the packed bodies. Eventually, he finds his cousin near the railing. Jaemin is standing beside it, grinning as Jeno wraps his hands around his waist and sways them to the music. The sight makes Mark smile. He’s just about to leave them to some sense of privacy when Jeno pulls away suddenly.

“Jeno?” Jaemin questions with a frown, “What’s wrong?”

The brunet wraps his hands around Jeno’s neck, pulling him close with a concerned look.

“I want to tell you something…” Mark watches his cousin admit quietly. Jeno’s gaze drifts to the floor unsurely before he looks up at Jaemin, “Mark hyung and I are leaving tonight, and I just want to say that I’ll miss you. I always do when I have to go back to Seoul. I worry a lot when I’m away about if you’re hurt or stressed and why I’m not there to help. But then all it just goes away the next time I see you and you’re smiling because you’re almost always smiling, even when things are hard, and that’s something I like best about you, Nana. Because I like you a lot, more than you probably know-“

“Jeno” Jaemin sounds desperate. He removes his hands from the other boy’s neck and steps back as if he’s ready to run away, as if he can outrun Jeno’s words, and that’s when Mark realizes something is terribly wrong.

“Jaemin” Jeno says, and he sounds just as desperate. His eyes are glossy underneath the night lights when he reaches for the other boy’s hand, “I like you. I _love_ you. And that’s okay. Please tell me that’s okay.”

But Jaemin shakes his head. He snatches his hand away from Jeno and backs away.

“I don’t want you to love me.” He murmurs, voice uneven as if he's upset for reasons Mark can't comprehend. It doesn't sound right, the bitter twist to Jaemin's words, “You’re drunk, and you don’t know what you’re saying. So just go back to Seoul. It’s better that way.”

“What’s going on?” Renjun appears along Jisung who’s holding a trophy filled with cash indicating their win in the breakdancing contest. But there’s no victory to be celebrated because Jaemin turns away and leaves, making Renjun run after him, “Jaemin!”

It reminds Mark of Donghyuck the way Jeno stands there, eyes shiny underneath the lights, heart in the open. But Jeno is quick to recover, especially when he sees Mark and Jisung standing there.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Jisung asks worriedly, but Jeno just forces a smile and ruffles his hair.

“I’m fine. Be good while I’m gone okay?” He says before turning to Mark, “We should go so we can catch the last train back home. Are you ready to go, hyung?”

“Jeno-“ Mark starts but his cousin just shakes his head.

“I made a mistake.” Jeno says quietly, “But it’s okay, hyung, really. Let’s just go.”

Mark knows better than to push his cousin. Jeno cared more about not bothering other people than he did about his own pain. He would bottle things up until they overwhelmed him. Mark has seen his cousin pick up bad habits – the cigarettes, drinking, and now fighting, all to deal with things that he thought weren’t worth talking about. He wants to let Jeno know that his feelings aren’t a mistake and he’s always there to listen, but he also knows his cousin doesn’t want to hear it. So, he simply follows the younger boy back through the packed crowd after they say their goodbyes to Jisung. They’re brushing past bodies when Mark feels hands wrap around his waist.

“Thank you for staying.” A voice says quietly followed by a gentle peck on his cheek.

When Mark turns around, Donghyuck is backing away. The brunet smiles, bright and warm underneath the lights, winking before Yangyang pulls him back into the crowd where the two disappear, leaving Mark to make out the rapid beating of his heart. Finally, he shakes his head and smiles. He glances up at the sky, dark and gloomy, then looks around at smiling faces illuminated by the fires, loud laughter, and cheering as celebration brings them into Monday morning. Mark says goodbye to Seochu too before turning and following after Jeno into the night.

The subway ride back home is silent. Jeno, who grabs a flask of liquor when they get their bags from the apartment, gets even more drunk. He stares at the passing stations with an empty look as he downs the alcohol, ignoring the burn and the aching of his own heart. By the time they nearly reach their station, he buries his head in Mark’s shoulder and cries.

“I want it to be love…” His voice is a quiet drunken slur that dies out into a broken whisper when he sobs, “Why can’t it be love?”

But Mark doesn’t have the answer for Jaemin’s rejection and Jeno’s heartbreak, so he wipes his cousin’s tears, and the two stumble home from the station back to their dorm. That night, Mark tucks Jeno into bed, rubs his back, and watches as his shaky breaths even out into the faintness of slumber. Then, he shuts out the light and drags himself to his own bed. He stares up at the ceiling in the darkness, mind spinning. The last thing he thinks of is warm brown eyes and the homely scent of vanilla before he rolls over and passes out, a small smile on his lips.

The next few days are a bleak blur of classes, labs, exams, and study sessions. His friends question his disappearance from campus, but he just tells them that he needed a break from school (which wasn’t much of a lie). After the first two days, Mark found his mind wandering back to Seochu. There was no excitement in quizzes or research papers and hanging out with his friends became equally unsatisfying. Suddenly, he found their personalities to be shallow and lackluster. The things they talked about no longer interested him and he often found himself simply accepting their invitations to hang out just to get out of his dorm.

Campus parties lacked chicken wings and break-dancing contests. He ate normal food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without surprise chocolate chips mixed with lemon custards or cherry pickle supreme toppings. One day, Mark makes ramen and dumps everything in his cabinet inside of it. He spends the night at the ER where the nurse asks _why_ he would eat ramen with marshmallows, honey mustard, garlic, and soy sauce. He’s discharged with a flushed face and even greater longing that same night.

Jeno throws himself into his studies to avoid talking about the growing amount of cigarette butts in their dorm or the nights Mark stumbles into the kitchen to find him with his face buried in his hands. Mark thinks he may be going crazy when he goes to a flower shop and stands in their greenhouse for hours. He’s relieved when Jaehyun calls and asks him and Jeno to meet for coffee Thursday morning. Jeno is still in his morning lecture so Mark is the second to arrive at the small café across the street from their university. Jaehyun is sitting at a table in the back, highlighting notes on his iPad as he lets his latte get cold. Mark orders a smoothie, watching his cousin with a small smile. He pays for his drink, nursing it as he makes his way to the table where Jaehyun greets him with a dimpled smile of his own.

“You look happy Minhyung. I thought the biology department had you hostage, but it turns out it was something else.” The brunet says when Mark pulls out the chair across from him. He abandons his iPad and his notes to level the younger with a look, “So, spill. Where were you Sunday?”

“It’s nice to see you too, Jaehyun hyung. I’m doing wonderful, thanks for asking! What about you?” Mark rolls his eyes at his cousin before taking a sip of his drink.

“Psychology has me by the throat and my Tinder dates make me question my life, nothing new.” Jaehyun tells him with a shrug before looking at him curiously again, “Now let’s talk about Sunday.”

“I’m convinced you secretly hate your major.” Mark says, laughing at his cousin’s behavior. Jaehyun was always eager to avoid studying and the psychology department in general, if he could. Once his laughter dies down, Mark shifts awkwardly in his chair, unsure of where to start. It would be better if Jeno was there because technically, Seochu was his secret. But Mark figures he could at least start the conversation because Jaehyun is impatient and not against bothering him until he gives in, “I was in Seochu.”

“I’ve been there before.” Jaehyun tells him simply, making Mark stare at him in shock, “What? I can be adventurous when I want to, and this was almost seven years ago. I was sixteen and I went with my friends. Seochu’s pretty gritty…and kind of dirty, I’m surprised you were down there. It’s not so pretty and the clubs are even worse. I can’t remember the exact name of where we went…something about an escape. Lots of smoke, too many weird smells, and the lights were really bright. I think the most eventful thing was that I met a really cute guy. I don’t remember his name, but I do remember the crinkles around his eyes when he smiled and that he had a bruise on his jaw. He told me he was a fighter, whatever that meant. The people around him kind of worshipped him, they bought us drinks and their faces would just light up at the sight of him. They called him a champion. I never understood what any of it meant, but I also never forgot it.”

Jaehyun shrugs after his story, leaving Mark to wonder who his cousin’s mysterious fighter was. He starts to think of previous championships in Seochu, but then he realizes that he isn’t familiar with the former champions beside Yukhei, but Jaehyun had been in Seochu seven years ago and Yukhei had only won the championship title last year, which eliminated the brunet from the possibility.

“I’m going to take a guess here and say that Jeno found Seochu first and then decided to drag you down there as well.” Mark isn’t sure why his cousin’s accurate guess leaves him shocked. Jaehyun has always been perceptive, which is why he smirks at the younger’s reaction before asking, “So, who were you two in the underground with?”

“Uh, well Jeno has these friends…Renjun, Jaemin, Jisung and…” Mark isn’t sure why, but his stomach twists with butterflies that catch him off guard, making him shift in his seat and stammer out, “D-Donghyuck”

“Who is Donghyuck and why are you malfunctioning while just trying to say his name?” Jaehyun asks with a teasing grin.

“Donghyuck is…” Mark trails off, fighting back the smile that threatens to break free. He takes a deep breath, forces himself to relax and ignore the warmth that consumes him to continue, “He’s a fighter, hyung, like the boy you met that night.”

“And did something happen between you and Donghyuck?” Jaehyun asks, watching the younger with an amused look, “Because you look like you’re about to pass out any minute now, Minhyung.”

“It’s nothing, really.” Mark looks down as he toys with the straw in his smoothie, avoiding the older boy’s gaze as he admits quietly, “He just kind of…kissed me, but it was on the cheek and it doesn’t mean anything-“ 

“So, you’re gay?” Jaehyun interrupts, sitting up in his chair with a small smile.

“Hyung!” Mark exclaims, eyes wide as he looks around the café to see if anyone has overhead before he turns to his cousin and whispers harshly, “You can’t just say stuff like that out loud.”

But the brunet across from him simply rolls his eyes.

“It’s 2020, yes I can.” His older cousin says, “At least half of the people in this cafe are gay, bisexual, lesbian, or pansexual or they just don’t know they are. Just because you choose not to acknowledge it Minhyung, doesn’t mean they’re not there.”

“I’m not choosing not to acknowledge them.” Mark denies, shifting his gaze away from the other boy.

Suddenly, he felt uncomfortable. There had been a big controversy in his family when Jaehyun came out after high school. His parents disowned him, and a lot of their family members refused to acknowledge him at the Sunday dinners that followed. Mark remembers sitting beside a wide-eyed Jeno as they called Jaehyun slurs and a disappointment. But his cousin was strong and proud of who he was. He continued on despite the strain with his parents and made sure to show his face at family events despite the ugly looks he got. In a few months, he would have a degree in psychology and go on to get his masters and eventually become a licensed therapist. Mark admired Jaehyun but he knew he could never be as brave or as strong as his older cousin. When his parents told him that he would become a successful biologist, marry a pretty girl, and have kids, he believed them, and he never considered a life outside of his designated future. 

“At least not purposely, right?” Jaehyun asks, making Mark frown.

“I’m not homophobic, hyung, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Not externally, but it’s clear that you don’t know who you are inside, where it really counts.”

“I know who I am.” Mark tells his cousin because his parents and everyone else has been telling him that he’s Minhyung, the Minhyung who’s going to eventually get a Ph.D. in marine biology, be a good husband one day, and eventually, a good father.

“Do you?” Jaehyun questions, watching him closely, “And what did you do when Donghyuck kissed your cheek?”

“I... didn’t do anything.” Mark admits quietly. He should have pushed Donghyuck away and told him that a kiss wasn’t right, it didn’t fit into the life of the Minhyung he was supposed to be. But he realized distantly that in doing so he wouldn’t be completely honest with himself.

“But what about the way you felt inside?” The brunet across from him asks, “Did you like it? Did you not like it?”

“I-I don’t know... it made me feel warm.” Is Mark’s hesitant response, and even now, the warmth of being close to Donghyuck comes back to him, but he quickly shakes his head to rid himself of it all, “I think... I liked it, b-but that’s just wrong-“

“So, you liked it and it made you feel good, but you think it’s wrong.” Jaehyun notes. He looks sympathetic, frowning at Mark when he adds, “Do you see what’s wrong here, Minhyung?”

Mark wants to tell him that he’s trying to fix things. He’s trying to rid himself of Seochu and its memories by not going back and letting them fade into a dull memory. He’s desperate to hold onto the Minhyung that his parents have made him, to not let him be polluted by warmth and longing, but it’s hard. It chokes Mark up, constricts his throat, and makes it difficult for him to say anything. Jaehyun seems to notice his turmoil because he reaches over and grabs his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Hey, It’s not your fault.” His cousin assures in a gentle tone, “It’s just the way were raised.”

“But I don’t understand.” Mark tells him, frustrated and overwhelmed, “We were raised normally. And my parents weren’t abusive or raging homophobes.”

He thinks he’s finally made a breakthrough, that Jaehyun will see the logic in it all, and Mark will be able to save what’s left of Minhyung. But he watches as his cousin gives him a sympathetic look before responding.

“No, but just think about it, which seemed more likely to you before you spent a week in Seochu? Marrying a girl? Or kissing Donghyuck and potentially dating him?”

“Marrying a girl” Mark replies without hesitation. Because it’s his future. Because it’s what he’s been told.

“But which one seems more realistic to you today?” Jaehyun asks.

The question reduces Mark to a distant ache and a sinking realization. He’d dated a few girls in high school and college, but he didn’t feel much of a connection with any of them. His parents were happy, and his family always greeted them with warm smiles when Mark would show up with his girlfriend. But even then, Mark would always realize he felt nothing for the girl that would sit beside him at the dinner table, and eventually, he would save them both from potential heartbreak by breaking up with them after just a few months. Marriage also seemed to be far off, and sometimes, an impossibility. But with Donghyuck…Mark had wanted the kiss, even if he tried to deny it. He didn’t know about dating the other boy, but he knew that he wanted to be overwhelmed by vanilla, light, and brightness. He wouldn’t mind and the thought makes him quickly wipe at the first tear that falls from his eyes. 

“It’s okay for things to change as you get older, Minhyung.” Jaehyun tells him soothingly, “Our parents raised us so that our sexuality was pretty much predetermined from the start. You know how at Sunday dinner your dad is always talking about marrying a nice, pretty girl as if the possibility of you marrying a man does not exist? It might seem small but things like that really shape the way you think today. The possibility of you liking boys or even being attracted to boys never crossed your mind until you met one that you wouldn’t mind kissing.”

“I’ve never thought about any of this.” Mark admits, ducking his head as his cousin reaches over and wipes his tears, “You and Jeno seem so sure about it all, but for me, it’s confusing and scary.”

“Well, you know Jeno’s kind of like the secret rebel. He’s the perfect heterosexual child for his parents and our strict community but to the people he’s comfortable with, he’s completely himself and he knows who he is. He likes that boy he always talks about, Jaemin, right? and I’m sure he would scream it on top of every building in Seoul if he wasn’t afraid his parents would overhear and disown him. Jeno was always questioning the things around him when you two were little. Why is this Apple red and that one green? Why do you have creases in your cheeks when you smile Jaehyun hyung?” Mark laughs when Jaehyun mimics Jeno’s voice from childhood and points at the dimple in his cheek. His laughter makes Jaehyun smile before he continues, “He probably questioned himself somewhere along the way and found the answers a little bit sooner than you might have. But don’t feel like you’re behind. Sexuality isn’t a race, Minhyung. I’m sure Donghyuck knows that you’re a bit unsure of yourself, which is probably why he kissed you on the cheek and not the lips.”

His words make Mark frown. Donghyuck had been hesitant to make the first move, but it never occurred him as to why that might be. Suddenly, he felt panicked, making him blurt out-

“He was testing me?”

“Not necessarily, more so trying to see what you’re okay with and possibly, if you like him back.” Jaehyun explains, “It’s confusing for him too you know since you don’t react, but you also don’t push him away.”

“How do I know if I really like him or it’s not just some random attraction?” Mark finally asks the question that’s been plaguing him since he left Seochu.

“That’s a good question. Think about the entire week you spent in Seochu, the good and the bad. Now, with all of this in mind, what’s the one emotion you felt the most while there?”

Mark thinks of the anxiousness from standing under the bright lights of the arena, he remembers the rush of adrenaline after his first brawl, breathing in smoke, and pressing against smoldering bodies. But he also remembers flower crowns made of roses and sunflowers, a kiss on the cheek in the rain, and the warmth of another hand in is. 

“I guess for the most part I just felt light? If that makes sense.” He answers finally, “Even when things weren’t at their best, having Donghyuck there just kind of made things seem okay. I didn’t worry about classes or Sunday dinners, and I can’t think of a day where I didn’t smile at least once.”

It makes him smile, what Donghyuck has done for him, the light he’s shown him. It makes Mark feel light as well, and Jaehyun seems to notice the brightness despite the dried tears staining his face.

“It sounds like he makes you feel safe.” His older cousin tells him, “But most importantly, you seem happier Minhyung by just talking about him. And I want you to know that it’s okay.”

He reaches over and gives Mark’s hand another gentle squeeze. They lapse into a comfortable silence then in which Mark feels better. He wonders what it would be like to be the Minhyung that he wants to be for himself, not for his parents or anyone else, and for once, he’s not afraid. He thinks of warm brown eyes and loud, unapologetic laughter until it aches, so he’s somewhat relieved when Jeno arrives, an iced coffee in one hand and a binder full of notes tucked under his arm.

“Sorry, the lecture kind of dragged on and I thought I was going to die of actual boredom.” He explains as he pulls out the seat beside Mark.

“You could have just skipped or left early.” Jaehyun tells him making both Jeno and Mark give him a look. He simply blinks at them in return, “What?”

“Aren’t you here to make sure we actually do go to class?” Jeno says with an amused grin.

“I would never subject you to actual torture, Jeno.” Jaehyun replies making Mark shake his head while Jeno snorts out a laugh. Their cousin watches them before smirking at Jeno, “So, when are you going to take your favorite hyung to the underground?”

“I already took Mark.” Jeno tells him, making Mark laugh loudly when Jaehyun throws a straw at him, “First of all, that was plastic. You’re ruining the environment, hyung. This is why you can’t be my favorite-“

“Jaehyun hyung slander will not be tolerated at this table.” Jaehyun tells him.

Mark and Jeno exchange looks before Mark grabs his smoothie and Jeno grabs his notes and coffee and the two boys stand from their chairs, walking away from the table.

“This is public bullying!” Jaehyun calls after them to which some random girl turns around and scoffs at him.

“This is college. No one cares.” She tells him, making Jaehyun stick his tongue out at her.

Mark laughs at the sight as he and Jeno leave the café. When he looks over, Jeno is smiling for the first time since they left Seochu. 

An hour later, Mark and Jeno are in Mark’s room, studying, which mostly meant highlighting entire pages and comparing syllabi to avoid processing any actual information. They’re surrounded by half drunken sodas and water bottles and Jeno’s hand is in a bag of chips as he dozes off on Mark’s bed. Mark is rewriting his schedule for the rest of the week when the phone on his nightstand begins to vibrate. From where he’s seated in front of his bed, he reaches over and catches it before it can hit the floor. The green phone case lets him know it’s Jeno’s. Mark’s prepared to place it back on the nightstand when two notifications catch his attention.

_7 missed calls from Renjunie_

_1 new voicemail from Renjunie_

Mark hesitates but his curiosity quickly wins and before he knows it, he’s unlocking the phone and opening the voicemail. He puts it on speakerphone and leans back against the bed.

“Jeno, I know you’re probably upset and you and Jaemin aren’t on the best terms right now, but we really need you to come back to Seochu…Things aren’t the best right now.”

Renjun’s voice is shaky as if he’s been crying. It makes Mark sit up as he listens to the brunet sigh and force himself to continue.

“Jisung is missing.” Renjun admits quietly before his voice gives out in a desperate whisper, “Please come help us find him.”

The voicemail ends and Mark is startled by movement from the bed. When he looks back, Jeno is already sitting up, having woken up in the middle of the message. The two-exchange brief looks before Jeno stands from the bed and hurries out of the room to pack a bag and Mark jumps to his feet in search of his backpack. It doesn’t hit him until he finds it on his desk and he starts shoving in chargers, his phone, and whatever else he can get his hands on until his hands start to shake and he drops down on his bed, swallowing thickly with the realization of the situation that would bring him back to Seochu so quickly.

Jisung was _missing_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of unanswered questions/things left unsaid in this chapter, I'm curious to hear your thoughts! : ) 
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who reads this story!  
> I appreciate all of the love and support Glory and Gore has received ❤❤❤


	8. Missing Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Chaos is more freedom; in fact, total freedom. But no meaning. I want to be free to act, and I also want my actions to mean something.”
> 
> ― Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife

The ride back to Seochu is silent.

The bright lights of the subway do nothing to calm the anxiety threatening to spill over within him. Mark bites his nails, he twists the zipper on his backpack and shifts in the hard, stiff seat at every stop. Each time he looks over, Jeno is still huddled into himself, eyes drawn to the ground in a daze of dread. But it’s hard to miss the subtle shaking of his fingers. It seemed to take everything out of him not to go through an entire pack of cigarettes on the train. Mark isn’t surprised that when they finally reach their stop and jump from the platform, a lighter illuminated the dark tunnel leading to the underground as Jeno shakily helped himself to his nicotine craving.

For once, there are no fighting taxi drivers, looters, and even the streets are bare of trash and grime. The sky is a dark, murky overcast and the city seemed barren, the empty streets making Mark wonder if perhaps the underground felt the dread and emptiness of the unknown as well. When they make it to the apartment, Jeno knocks on the door desperately, as if it will relieve him from the shaking of his hands or the pale flush of his face. It swings open almost immediately, and they’re met with an exhausted-looking Renjun. The brunet’s face is damp with the irritated puffiness of someone who’s been crying for days on end. His hair is disheveled and he’s clutching his phone as if it might ring at any minute.

“You came back!” He exclaims when he sees Mark. Renjun does his best to smile as he ushers them in, but it was hard to miss the exhaustion and anxiousness that hung in the air. “I’m glad you two are here. We need as many people as we can get at the moment.”

Mark shivers when they enter the kitchen. For some reason, the apartment felt much colder. There were no loud video games blasting from Jisung’s room or random thumps from when the blond would throw himself out of his bean bag chair when he lost. Michael Jackson vinyl’s weren’t being played and neither was Donghyuck running around each room, alternating between singing and doing random workouts. Jeno and Jaemin weren’t fussing over each other, cuddled on the couch watching movies or playing Mario Kart. And Renjun wasn’t making a mess of the kitchen, tossing around pots and pans as he struggled to find all of the ingredients for his latest recipe. Instead, Mark watches as Renjun sags against the wall, blinking tiredly.

“Have they figured out where he is, or at least where he might be?” Jeno asks, too anxious to sit down. Instead, he grips the counter with an apprehensive look when Renjun shakes his head.

“No, we haven’t really found anything. He took his phone with him, no one saw him leave, and we don’t have any idea as to where he might have gone. We don’t even know if he ran off…or someone took him-“

“Jisung wouldn’t run away.” Jeno interrupts firmly, before his mind seems to wander and he trails off quietly, “He wouldn’t…”

“I-I don’t know, Jeno…” Renjun says, “We slept all day after coming home from The Pit. I went to check on him Monday night and…he just…wasn't there.”

The brunet’s voice strains into a pained whisper and Jeno is quick to pull him into a hug, rubbing his back gently.

“Wherever he is, I just need him to come home.” He continues. He relaxes into Jeno’s hold with the relief of someone who Mark figures has probably been crying for four days while missing a brother and trying to keep his other two sane, “Things have kind of gone to shit down here, which is saying a lot considering where we’re at. Doyoung hyung has been working really hard, searching the city, and trying to get as many people as he can to help find Jisung. Johnny hyung has been a great help too. When he’s not training, he helps us look. Donghyuck was supposed to be on bed rest because of his new injury but of course he’s been ignoring it to help look for Jisung. It doesn’t help that things have gotten even more divided between us and Yukhei’s camp. Doyoung hyung says he thinks that, at this rate, Hyuck and Yukhei might meet at the Rift before they even set foot in the ring. And Jaemin is taking it the worst-“

“Where is he?” Jeno asks, looking even more anxious than before. Mark wonders why his cousin doesn’t know that it already _is_ love, the way Jeno quickly pushes his heartbreak aside to care and worry about Jaemin.

Renjun hesitates at the question, avoiding Jeno’s gaze when the other boy pulls back and stares at him impatiently. 

“He had a breakdown this morning, so he’s at the clinic.” The brunet admits finally, rushing out his words when Jeno steps back in shock and distress, “You know how Jaemin is about losing people, Jeno. We haven’t seen Jisung in four days and there are no signs or evidence that say something bad hasn’t happened. I’m trying not to think the worst, because I know that things can get better and we might find him. But it’s not that easy for Jaemin. He’s just…been through a lot and he needs all of his family here, together. It doesn’t help that he feels guilty about what he said to you at The Pit. He thinks you’re upset with him and he didn’t want to worry you, so he tried to handle it on his own. But it’s just too much. Hyuck’s ribcage is cracked, Johnny hyung says Nana might not be able to fight again because of his back injuries, Minjun is back at the Underground Escape harassing him, and Jisung is missing. I was surprised at how well he held it together. I thought things would be okay, but I should have known better. We searched downtown for Jisung today, and when we came back with nothing, he just kind of broke down… he started crying and nothing we said could make him stop, so Jungwoo suggested we take him to the clinic.”

Renjun’s words seem to hang in the air, but the devastation lies in the way Jeno’s eyes grow downcast, he looks guilty and worried, and the weight of it all seems heavier than that night at The Pit.

“Will he be okay?” Mark finally manages to ask. 

Jaemin made him curious because he smiled brightly and welcomed him in Seochu with open arms. He was sweet to Jeno, making him blush and overwhelming him at times, and he was patient when Renjun’s culinary ambition left the kitchen destroyed, Hyuck burst into his room at six in the morning when he couldn’t sleep, demanding cuddles and attention, and Jisung left his chargers and cords everywhere, tripping people up in the hallway and living room. He was kind, even when Minjun harassed him, his back hurt, and long shifts at the Underground Escape drained him of whatever was left. Mark hopes that they will find Jisung. He wants Jaemin to be okay, if not for himself then for Jeno who looks as if he’s dived headfirst into despair. Seochu was a never-ending stream of chaos, troubles, and destruction, and it seemed the only way to fight it and actually win was in the ring. Mark thinks he might know why the underground fighting ring is all the city truly has – everything that wasn’t blood, sweat, and aggression, was tarnished.

“He should be okay, at least when we find Jisung he will be.” Renjun tells him finally, though the way he forces out his words tells Mark that he’s not too sure himself, “Taeil hyung knows us best, better than I think we know ourselves. Years of fighting and surviving takes its toll, so the clinic is like a safe haven for us. When you’re sitting on that couch, talking to Taeil hyung, everything you’re talking about seems so far away…I don’t know. I just want Jaemin to be okay…I just want to find Jisung-“

“We will.” Jeno cups the brunet’s cheeks, looking him in the eye. His anxious hesitance has grown into frustration and determination, “We’ll find Jisung and Nana will be just fine. I promise.”

Mark has never known his cousin to make empty promises, so he places a hand on Renjun’s shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze because he believed in his cousin’s words and he was there to see them through as well. Renjun looks relieved at the possibility of things turning out well and the fact that he no longer had to carry it all on his own. And Mark figures this is what Jeno is to Seochu, the one who saves things that are falling apart at the seams, threatening to unravel into nothingness.

Renjun’s phone rings and they watch as the brunet sniffles before excusing himself to answer the call. Once he’s gone, Jeno starts to dig through his pockets for a cigarette, but Mark stops him by grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, one that says he doesn’t have to carry it all alone either. His cousin gives him a small, grateful smile but it was hard to miss the exhaustion that had already set into his dark eyes. The phone call lasts seconds before Renjun returns, slipping on a pair of sneakers.

“Doyoung hyung and Hyuck are still out searching but Johnny hyung is downstairs. I was supposed to go with him to get Jaemin from the clinic, but I think it might be better if you two go instead.” He explains, “You two can go with Johnny hyung, I’ll meet Jungwoo near the arena to search over there, and we can meet at Doyoung hyung’s for dinner.”

“Be careful, okay?” Jeno tells him, leaning down until he’s close enough to make Renjun’s face flush. The brunet nods quickly, muttering that he will.

Jeno looks satisfied enough to leave the kitchen, and Renjun smiles slightly, patting Mark on the shoulder before he follows. He trails after his cousin, out of the apartment in a daze, almost. His thoughts switched erratically from Jaemin to Donghyuck and his injury, but mostly they lingered on Jisung and the endless possibilities surrounding his disappearance. Mark hadn’t taken the blond as someone who would run away. Even with the fighting and unpredictability, Jisung seemed content in Seochu.

Jeno and Jaemin took care of him as if they were his parents, Renjun babied him, sometimes Donghyuck let the younger sneak out with him, and Mark would stay up at night, watching him play video games, binging on overly caffeinated drinks and sugary snacks. He’s not sure what it will be like, to sit at a dinner table and not have Jisung bust Jeno for acting like a Facebook dad, complain about Tom Nook being the biggest scammer of all time, or argue with Renjun about his failure at taking care of his “ailing father.” Mark doesn’t want to think about how the days to come will look just like that, so he braces himself as they step outside of the apartment complex. Johnny’s sleek, black Range Rover waiting for them out front reminds him of championship titles and the fighting ring still waiting behind it all.

“You’re back.” Is the first thing Johnny says when Mark pulls open the front door. Jeno was more content to hop in the backseat and stare out of the window, anxious and worried about Jaemin. But Johnny seems to understand because he simply glances at the dark-haired boy in the review mirror to make sure he’s comfortable before returning his attention to Mark, “Hyuck will be happy to see you.”

Of all the things Mark is expecting the trainer to say, mentioning Donghyuck isn’t one of them. It makes his eyes widen, and when he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror, his ears are bright red. The car is silent as it pulls away from the curb into the empty Seochu streets before the trainer speaks up once more.

“No need to act all shy, kid. You two are pretty obvious, especially on Hyuck’s end. He’s never been good at hiding his feelings, especially not since he almost broke Hendery’s nose a few nights ago when he was bold enough to bring up your name.” Johnny tells him with an amused look, “But it’s not a bad thing. He can move on from Yukhei, everyone likes you, and you seem like a safe place, Mark. I trust Hyuck opening up to you. Remember what I told you? You’ll know more than any of us when all of this is over.”

Mark can feel his face flush. He wonders if it were that obvious to everyone else. He barely understood what he felt for Donghyuck, but Johnny seemed to have figured it out with an ease that reminds him of Jaehyun. 

“I don’t know, hyung.” Mark admits quietly, “I still don’t know much, and I don’t think I can make Hyuck forget about Yukhei.”

“You won’t make him forget Xuxi.” Johnny hums in agreement, “Hyuck couldn’t forget Yukhei even if he wanted to. But I think it’s good that he likes you, even if a relationship doesn’t come out of it. There’s something about having you here with us that makes him want to be the best version of himself.”

When the trainer smiles at him, Mark quickly looks away in embarrassment only to spot Jeno smiling in the rearview mirror. Suddenly, he felt overwhelmed, as he always did when he thought of Donghyuck. He wanted to smell vanilla, to have his space invaded by mischievous smiles and loud laughter. A distant ache and longing makes him swallow thickly. Luckily, Jeno speaks up to save him. 

“What about you, hyung?” The dark-haired boy asks, leaning forward to glance at Johnny, “You’ve had the championship title and all of Seochu throwing themselves at you. Haven’t you ever had anyone special?”

“Not really. I was so focused on winning that I never really gave dating much of a thought. Of course, the few people I did date were only in it for what came with dating Seochu’s champion. But I want something genuine. I just have yet to find it.” Johnny tells them with a shrug before he seems to think of something that makes him smile, eyes crinkling when he says, “But there was this one night before my eighteenth birthday where I met a surfacer from Seoul. He was gorgeous and down to earth. We outdrank everyone in the Underground and I felt relaxed even though I had nearly gotten a concussion while trying to win the championships just hours before. But he didn’t know any of that and I liked it that way. I liked _him_ , and I wanted to tell him before the night was over with, but I don’t think he was supposed to be in the underground to begin with, because by the time I finally worked up the courage to confess, he was gone.”

Mark listens to the older man’s story quietly before he seems to remember a similar story from his older cousin. He thinks of the Underground Escape and a sixteen-year-old Jaehyun. Then, he glances in the rearview mirror and makes eye contact with Jeno. But when his younger cousin shakes his head, the idea dies out until its quickly forgotten.

“Things like that are just hard to come by in the underground. Love and companionship aren’t compatible with the rough, hard edges of Seochu.” Johnny continues as they pull into a parking lot. He parks the car before sighing and adding, “Sometimes it works out, like with Taeyong and Taeil, but even they’ve had their struggles. I guess it’s just something you have to fight for… no pun intended.”

Jeno shakes his head before pushing open the car door and climbing out leaving Johnny to laugh loudly at his unintentional joke while Mark snorts in amusement before pushing open his car door as well. He climbs out into the parking lot of a medium-sized, slate-colored building. The grass surrounding it was bright and well-groomed, the windows were high, pristine and welcoming, and outside sat a white sign that read _Moon Counseling and Wellness_. Mark follows Jeno through the glass double doors to find that the inside is even more homely with baby blue walls, light wooden floors, watercolor paintings hanging on the walls, and plush, gray sofas lining the hallways. Near the entrance sat a powder colored desk with a vase of yellow daffodils where a man with long, light hair was typing away at a computer. When they enter, he looks up and smiles brightly.

“Jeno! Johnny!” He exclaims before finally his eyes land on Mark and he tilts his head, “And you must be Mark!”

The surprise must be evident on Mark’s face because Johnny snorts in amusement before explaining.

“Like I said, you and Donghyuck haven’t really been discreet.” The trainer tells him with a shrug, “The people of Seochu want to know who their champion has been sucking face with-“

“B-But-“ Mark blurts out, feeling his ears burn in mortification. He hides behind Jeno, grabbing his cousin’s hand in embarrassment when he stammers out, “W-We haven’t been sucking face or kissing! A-At least not yet-“

He’s never felt more betrayed than when Jeno bursts out into a fit of laughter, leaving Mark very much unguarded and even more embarrassed now that he no longer has his cousin to hide behind. Johnny shakes his head though he was clearly amused by Mark’s red ears and horrified expression. The man at the front desk, whose name tag reads _Yuta_ , jumps out of his chair and engulfs Mark in a hug that squishes his cheek against the long-haired man’s chest.

“He’s so cute!” Yuta exclaims, glancing at Johnny, “Where did you get him from?”

“Seoul” The trainer replies before leveling the man with a look, “And before you start, no you cannot adopt him. He has parents and is a very expensive university student.”

Yuta pouts, and if possible, he holds Mark even tighter, making the dark-haired boy feel lightheaded from just how warm his face grows as a result.

“Does Sicheng know that you’re out here trying to kidnap cute surfacers?” Johnny jokes with a grin to which Yuta sighs and finally releases Mark, who stumbles off in a daze, nearly running into a chair if Jeno hadn’t reached out and grabbed his arm last minute.

“I actually haven’t seen Sichengie in days.” The long-haired man admits, “Ten’s been practically kidnapping him these days to help train Yukhei. Chittaphon is really pulling a lot of strings when it comes to the championships this year. I’m a little worried about what might happen if Yukhei loses.”

At the mention of Yukhei, Ten, and the championships, a somber mood hangs over the small group. Mark snaps out of his daze, Jeno stiffens, and Johnny tries his best to maintain his smile.

“It’s hard to think about, even for me. I’ve been training them since they could barely throw a punch. Now Hyuck’s knocking teeth out…and I just want what’s best for them both.” The trainer says. His dark eyes are conflicted beneath the bright clinic lights when he talks about the two boys he’s placed all of his hope in before he clears his throat, “But, speaking of missing people, have you all heard anything about Jisung?”

“Moonie sent a few assistants to search the neighborhood, and Taeyong, Mijoo, and the other caretakers at the orphanage are looking around that side of town for any sign of him but so far, there’s nothing.” Yuta tells him with a sympathetic smile, “Jisung is a good kid and he’s smart. If he’s wandered off, I’m sure he’ll find his way back. And if he’s missing, we have all of Seochu searching for him. We’ll find him in no time. I’m sure of it! And, there is some good news. Jaemin is feeling much better-”

“Can we see him?” Jeno blurts out, looking both eager and relieved.

“Of course! I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.” Is the long-haired man’s response as he points down a rather lengthy hallway, “He’s in the relaxation room.”

“You two go ahead. I need to talk with Moonie about something.” Johnny says, waving them off, “Just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

Jeno nods before grabbing Mark’s hand and pulling him down the hallway. It’s small and somewhat cramped with the sofas, but he glances at the offices and custodian closets as they pass and before he knows it, they’re standing in front of a door at the end. _Relaxation Room_ is printed on the door in elegant, chestnut letters. When Jeno pulls the door open, the room is dim from a few candles lit on a nearby table, there’s a recliner and sofa that they find Jaemin sitting in front of, coloring with crayons strewn on the ground around him. Even in the dim lighting, Mark can see his bloodshot eyes and the tear stains on the brunet’s face. If Renjun looked exhausted, Jaemin looked defeated. When he notices the door has opened, the brunet looks up, only for his eyes to widen slightly.

“Jeno?” His voice is a hoarse whisper, and it’s enough to make Jeno run into the room and tackle Jaemin.

Mark watches as his cousin wraps his arms around the brunet, and Jaemin immediately welcomes the embrace, slipping his eyes closed and burying his face in Jeno’s neck. Mark realizes he’s intruding on an intimate moment, so he turns away and closes the door behind, prepared to return to the lobby (and try to avoid being kidnapped by Yuta in the process).

“Mark?” A familiar voice calls out, making him look over.

“Xiaojun” He greets the brunet with a small smile.

He’s never seen the other boy without Yangyang or Ten and the others. It made him seem less intimidating, the way Xiaojun approaches him, smiling and relaxed. 

“I thought you left Monday morning. But you’re back already. Wow.”

At this, Mark hesitates. He knew that Ten didn’t have anyone’s best intentions in mind, except for his own, and it seemed that Kun was not to be trusted either. Yukhei and Hendery were an anomaly. But so far, Yangyang and Xiaojun seemed to have minds of their own. The night they showed up to The Pit said that they seemed to be stuck in a situation that even they didn’t enjoy.

“Renjun called this morning.” Mark replies hesitantly, and when the brunet raises a brow in response, he finally admits, “Jisung is missing.”

“Jisung is _what_ -“ Xiaojun blurts out, eyes wide in surprise, “When did he go missing? Do you guys have any leads?”

“Renjun noticed Monday night that he was gone.” Mark tells him, “And no, we don’t know anything, but everyone’s been pitching in to help look for him.”

“Shit…this is _terrible_.” Xiaojun mutters, plopping down on the sofa behind them with a frown.

Mark sits down beside him, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah” He murmurs quietly, shivering from the weight of realization.

For what feels like the fifth time that day, he prays that Jisung isn’t hurt or in danger. He wished it was a dream, something a mind wrought with exams and labs would think of, that he could wake up and call Jisung and ask him about Animal Crossing or tease him about his secret gaming partner. But according to Renjun, Jisung’s phone went straight to voicemail. It was probably dead, and the information did nothing to calm the tightening in Mark’s stomach when he realizes that Jisung is gone without a way to reach them.

“Hey” Xiaojun speaks up suddenly, breaking him away from his thoughts. Mark looks over to find the brunet already looking at him, “I know it seems kind of hard to trust me or any of the others right now, but…do you all need help looking for Jisung? I know things are tense, but Ten owns this city and it worships Yukhei. You could find him quicker with us on your side.”

The brunet’s expression and words seem genuine, but Mark felt a strange twist when it came to accepting them. _With us on your side_. He knew that the division in Seochu was growing stronger by the day, that sides were to be chosen, and once allegiances were made, there would be no going back. It went without saying that Mark belonged alongside Jeno and now, Donghyuck too. But he was also curious about Xiaojun, Hendery, Yukhei, and the side of Seochu that Ten seemed intent on ruling like a tyrant on their underground throne. Mostly, he just wants Jisung back, which is why he decides to hear the brunet out despite the sinking feeling that pulls at him.

“You want to help us find Jisung?” He asks, watching as Xiaojun nods eagerly.

“Yes, I know how much he means to Renjun and the others.” The brunet replies with sincerity before his face flushes and he rubs at the back of his neck in embarrassment, “But, as you can probably already tell, Kun and Ten have tabs on our whereabouts at all times. So, we would have to get them to agree to it as well. But no worries! Just go to the Rift tomorrow and talk to Hendery. He’s really good at convincing the managers to go along with things. He’s kind of the favorite…after Xuxi, of course. And…he kind of likes you-“

Mark listens intently only to end up spluttering and flailing awkwardly before burying his face in his hands at the mention of Hendery’s crush. But Xiaojun simply laughs at his response.

“Tough luck having two pretty boys with violent streaks fighting over you, I guess.” The brunet pats him on the back with an amused look, “I’m also going to take that as an agreement that you’ll be at the Rift tomorrow. Hendery will be happy to see you. It was nice seeing you again, Mark. But I really have to go before they send Yangyang to come get me, and trust me, I cherish any breaks I can get from the energizer bunny on crack.”

Mark snorts in amusement at Xiaojun’s description of Yangyang. His racing heart welcomes the distraction and eventually he’s able to calm down enough to smile up at the other boy when he stands.

“I’ll talk to Hendery.” He says. Xiaojun smiles at him, genuine and promising under the bright hallway lights before he stands and leaves.

Mark watches the brunet disappear down the hall, and suddenly, things felt more hopeful. Maybe they would find Jisung sooner, and perhaps they would have Xiaojun and the others to thank for it. But first, they would have to get Hendery and most importantly, Ten and Kun on board to help with the search. Hendery seemed to be more blunt than vindictive. He appeared to hold his own personal opinion close and wasn’t afraid to make it known, which seemed to cause the rift with an equally outspoken Donghyuck. Mark figures that Hendery’s allegiance to the idea of Yukhei with the championship title stemmed from having the same managers – it seemed to be a companionship built on the fighting ring, forced but firm enough to keep him glued to Ten and Kun’s side of things.

Despite clashing with Donghyuck, Hendery didn’t seem to have a personal grudge against Jisung that Mark was aware of. It looked likely that the dark-haired fighter would be willing to help, but his managers were a different story. Mark doesn’t know much about Kun except that he could most likely be seen with Yukhei, he wasn’t keen on engaging in verbal disagreements, and like Doyoung, he didn’t seem to favor dirty underground politics either. Ten was much more clear with his intentions. He wanted Yukhei to be the champion, and he didn’t care what had to be sacrificed for the achievement. The night at The Pit, Yangyang and Xiaojun had drunkenly joked that if Ten caught them with Donghyuck, they would be sleeping on cardboard boxes by the time morning came.

It had made Mark shiver, the sincerity in their glossy eyes that told him there was more than enough truth to their words. It made him wonder how Hendery was going to convince someone like Ten, who was determined with his intention to divide them all, to help find someone from Doyoung’s side. But Xiaojun seemed to firmly believe in his plan, so Mark decides not to get caught up in the small details. He decides to think of other things, like if he should mention Hendery and the Rift to the others. Telling Donghyuck was out of the question. He would find Hendery, and this time, he wouldn’t fail in his mission of giving the other boy a black eye. Jaemin’s mental state was fragile and Jeno would most likely follow in Donghyuck’s footsteps, but Renjun… Mark quickly shakes his head. Renjun was already stressed and exhausted with worry.

So, he decides to keep the meeting to himself. He was worried about being at the Rift when he wasn’t a fighter, but it’s been four days since Jisung went missing and he didn’t see any other choice. They needed more help – they needed Kun and Ten’s help. Mark takes in a deep breath and decides that this time around in Seochu, he would no longer watch as things fell apart. Instead, he would pick up the stray pieces and bring them together as best as he could if it meant a chance at happiness for the people in the forgotten underground city. 

_______________________

They leave the clinic with a gentle smile and wave from Taeil and hugs from Yuta. Jaemin sticks to Jeno, holding his hand tightly, even as they sat in the back of Johnny’s Range Rover. It’s Jaemin who suggests using the few hours left before dinner to search for Jisung. Johnny looked hesitant to return the brunet to a task that had landed him in the clinic to begin with, but Jaemin’s weary expression told them that denying him the chance to look for the missing blond would only upset him again. They meet Jungwoo and Renjun near the arena where a group of people have gathered to help look for their missing friend.

Mark recognizes many of the people on the corners, passing out flyers with Jisung’s face on them, as supporters of Donghyuck, people they would pass in parties, who would reach out and grab Donghyuck, telling him that they believed in him until the brunet’s face turned bright red. Mark passes out flyers, he roams down shady alleyways (with Johnny and Jeno trailing behind him), he wonders if Donghyuck and Doyoung are having better luck, and he watches the sky fade from a mass of dull, gray clouds to a dark, starless night. By the time they climb back into Johnny’s car, they’re out of flyers and Mark has spoken to more people than he actually knows in Seochu. Still, there is no sign of Jisung. No one has seen the blond and they’ve made no progress regarding his whereabouts. Jaemin leans against the window silently, tired and defeated, Jeno’s stares ahead, dark eyes alternating between frustration and worry, Johnny grips the steering wheel tighter than usual, and Mark wonders if they’re used to it, the misery…the _loss_.

By the time they arrive at Doyoung and Jungwoo’s apartment, they’re exhausted. Despite making more than most people in Seochu, Doyoung and Jungwoo’s apartment was a modest two-bedroom with a spacious kitchen, decorated with plushies and trinkets in some corners by Jungwoo and with plants and books for Doyoung in others. Despite a long shift ahead of him at the arena that night, Jungwoo immediately sets to work making dinner, timidly asking Renjun for help in an effort to cheer the worn-out brunet up. Renjun had smiled, the faintest bit of brightness returning to his eyes at the opportunity to enter top chef mode, calling out orders rapidly to a quickly overwhelmed Jungwoo, who eventually began to regret his decision.

Johnny had leaned against the counter, shaking his head at the sight of Jungwoo accidentally handing Renjun black salt instead of pepper. Jeno was sitting on the couch with Jaemin’s head in his lap, running his hands through the brunet’s hair as he slept. Mark found himself wandering down the dimly lit hallway to Doyoung’s room at the end, where Jungwoo told him that the manager and Donghyuck were most likely to be found. He arrives to find the door open, light and voices emitting from the room. Mark hesitates, lingering near the doorway.

“D-Do I look okay?” A voice asks hesitantly making Mark’s heart race because it belonged to the one person who had managed to occupy his thoughts the entire week.

“Your ribcage is cracked, of course you’re not okay.” He can hear Doyoung tell Donghyuck.

“No hyung, I mean like is my hair okay and my eyeliner, is it smudged-“

The fighter’s question is cut off by a laugh from his manager.

“So, you really do like Mark?” Is Doyoung’s amused response, “Don’t pout. It’s cute. I haven’t seen you this nervous since Yukhei…”

“I also haven’t liked anyone else since Yukhei.” Donghyuck tells the older man, and Mark is surprised that he lacks his usual somber, hesitance when talking about such a sensitive topic.

“I know… it was starting to worry me. When he left, I thought it broke you. But you’ve always been strong, even outside of the ring. You and I are so similar. We share the same past, things have just fallen apart for us at different times. I watched you forgive Xuxi so easily, because that’s second nature to you, even if it hurt. You’re good like that, Donghyuck. You can let things go because you want what’s best for everyone, even if it takes the best parts of you in the process. For me, it’s been years and I still can’t forgive the people that I felt had betrayed me.” Doyoung replies and Mark doesn’t need to peek to know that the older man has grown emotional. He can hear it in the shakiness of the manager’s voice, the way he sighs before forcing himself to continue, “But you’re full of love, Hyuck, and there’s still so much left out there for you. Don’t let Seochu take it away from you… as for Mark, I hate to sound like Ten or Kun, but championships and relationships don’t mix. It doesn’t matter which one of you is stepping into the ring. But I won’t ever take anything from you, especially when I think it might do more good than harm. Just be careful. You two come from completely different worlds, and there are still sacrifices to be made and promises to keep in Seochu. I hope you won’t forget.”

Doyoung seems to stop himself, trailing off quietly to prevent himself from becoming too emotional. But in the silence that follows, Mark frowns. He wonders what the similarities are between Donghyuck, the manager, and their pasts. He looks around the dimly lit hallway then, only for his gaze to land on the shelf pushed against the wall across from him. It was mostly covered in plants and dictionaries until his eyes find themselves transfixed on a picture frame nearly hidden beneath the long, overgrown leaves of a potted plant. The lighting helps him in making out the group of smiling faces in the picture.

The first face he recognizes is Johnny. Mark figures that the smiling brunet is around sixteen, standing in front of a familiar street corner with a ticket booth and line leading to one of the tallest, most spacious buildings in Seochu – the arena. His arm is slung over a smaller boy that Mark identifies as Taeil. His blond hair is pushed back and he’s smiling, reminding Mark of himself with his specs and the large backpack at his feet. He’s holding hands with Taeyong, who’s pouting with light pink hair. Next to him, Doyoung looks somewhat caught off guard by the picture, brow raised and mouth open slightly. Clinging to his arm is the last person Mark is expecting to see. Kun’s smile is bright and wide as he holds onto Doyoung’s arm with a cheerfulness that was unlike the blank mask of indifference he had worn as the conflict had unfolded at Taeyong’s Saturday day dinner.

Mark isn’t sure how long he stares at the picture, trying to make out the missing pieces of the puzzle that had been presented to him. He feels heavier each time he learns more about the forgotten city and its people. But he also knew that it was only half of the weight, the little he did know. He realizes then that he doesn’t know the people around him, the ones who look at him and agree that he’ll be a good fit for all that’s fallen into place so far. _You’ll know more than any of us when all of this is over_. He had wanted to believe in Johnny’s words, but he can’t make out who has betrayed Doyoung, why Kun is in the old picture but not the one now, and what events have left Doyoung and Donghyuck on one side while Ten, Kun, and Yukhei stood on another.

He’s not sure if he wants to find out. It might be too much – it could be too heavy. Mark is hesitant to unpack what’s left of Seochu. It seemed to be a hoard of betrayal, heartbreak, and survival. Would there be room left for him when it was finally all out in the open? Or would it be too much, leaving no room for the small things like him and Donghyuck? He’s so caught up in the picture and his thoughts that when a figure appears in the doorway beside him, he doesn’t have the energy to be surprised.

“It’s nice to see you around here again.” Doyoung tells him.

“I’m happy to be back.” Mark replies quietly, still in a daze.

The older man frowns, following the younger’s gaze to the picture. But the manager only gives it a glance before quickly looking away, and it reminds Mark of Donghyuck with Yukhei, the bittersweet smile Doyoung gives before he shakes his head. He pats Mark on the shoulder gently before walking past him, back towards the kitchen where Jungwoo and Renjun could be heard singing loudly. Mark watches the older man disappear before he takes a deep breath to relax. But his heart has already picked up, thumping erratically, and his hands were quickly growing clammy. Mark breathes out, patting his cheeks with the back of his hands to cool them down only to groan in embarrassment. It was ridiculous how nervous Donghyuck made him, but it’s even worse when, while trying to calm himself down, an amused voice calls out-

“How long are you going to make me wait before you come in, Mark Lee?”

Mark wants to scream. Instead, his eyes widen, and he abandons his hiding place to step into the room only to instantly regret it. Doyoung must have been checking the fighter’s injury because Donghyuck is sitting cross-legged on the bed in a pair of black jeans. The dim lighting from the lamp on the bedside illuminates the roman numeral tattoo beneath his collar bone, the glint of the snakeheads pierced through his nipples, and the unruly curls forming a faint halo around his head. His face was bare except a thin layer of eyeliner that highlighted the warm, brown glimmer in his eyes as he stared at Mark. The older boy swallows thickly and considers running away.

“H-How did you know it was me?” He asks instead, resisting the urge to cringe at the way he stutters over his words.

“Cobra and Medusa are really good at detecting overly anxious surfacers.” Donghyuck tells him, motioning at his golden piercings proudly before smirking, “Especially Mark Lee’s, I hear that kind is pretty bad at eavesdropping.”

“B-But” Mark stammers, face flushed from embarrassment as he tried to figure out how the other boy was able to figure him out so easily each time.

While he hyperventilates and tries to make sense of the warmth spreading throughout his face, Donghyuck snorts in amusement, grabbing the shirt behind him and slipping it on quickly.

“Okay, I’m decent. Now you can actually look at me.” The fighter says before carefully scooting forward, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding his hand out to the dark-haired boy, “You could also come closer. My ribcage isn’t going to shatter or anything if you decide to touch me, Mark Lee.”

Mark doesn’t need a mirror to know that his ears are bright red. It’s the hammering of his heart and the way his legs move without him realizing that reminds him that the boy before him is overwhelming. There’s the softness of Donghyuck’s hand when it grabs his and the smell of vanilla when the fighter pulls him close that makes him feel safe and content, less heavy, and better.

“That would be weird if I hugged you and your ribs started falling out.” Mark blurts out, crinkling his nose in amusement but the brunet simply shakes his head.

“I think the weird thing would be you carrying me and all twenty-four of my ribs around Seochu.” Donghyuck tells him, “You could get a wheelchair, push us around, and it could be like one of Soobinie’s adventures. _Donghyuckie and his ribchair of doom_.”

Mark laughs loudly at the brunet’s words and Donghyuck uses the opportunity to pull him even closer, smiling when he squeezes the dark-haired boy’s hand. When Mark’s laughter dies down, he stares at the fighter until he’s lost in brown eyes, vanilla, and warmth. It reminds him of the night at The Pit, but he knows that this time it’s different. He holds his breath and waits. But instead of leaning in, Donghyuck frowns and looks down at their hands.

“I thought about you a lot after you left, and… I wanted to see you again.” He admits quietly, “Now you’re back, but Jisung is _gone_.”

Mark hates it, the way Donghyuck avoids his gaze as if he’s failed, as if he has to be ashamed because of it. When the brunet rests his head against his stomach, Mark runs his fingers through soft, messy curls and waits. 

“That night at The Pit…he told me he was proud of me.” The fighter’s voice trembles, “He’s proud of me, but I can’t even find him.”

Donghyuck’s words end with a bitter laugh that sends an ache through Mark’s heart. It seemed that, like Jeno, the brunet had the habit of trying to carry everything alone. As Seochu’s champion, he wanted to be able to protect everyone around him, so he took Jisung’s disappearance as a personal failure. Four days without Jisung had reduced Renjun to tears, broke Jaemin down, but it made Donghyuck somber and ashamed. Mark can feel the way the other boy tenses, stiff with growing anger and frustration. The fighter clenches his fists and it lets Mark know that he needs to calm the brunet down before he agitates his injuries.

“You don’t have to do it all alone, Hyuck.” He says, pulling back to cup the fighter’s face gently, “I’m here. You have me, Jeno, Renjun, Jaemin, Johnny hyung, Doyoung hyung, Jungwoo, Dr. Moon, Taeyong and the orphanage, and all of Seochu who are willing to do anything for their champion. I’m sure that wherever Jisung is, he’s still proud of you. He isn’t expecting you to do it all alone. We can do it together. We’ll find Jisung together.”

Mark has never been good at comforting people, but the way the fighter’s eyes soften and he nods lifts the weight off of them both. He continues to run his hand through the boy’s wild curls, using his other to rub gently at the back of the brunet’s neck. He watches Donghyuck shiver before the fighter stands suddenly. Mark jumps, caught off guard when the brunet pulls him closer. The soft press of Donghyuck’s lips against his forehead makes his eyes flutter briefly. He felt light and warm, and when the fighter pulls away, he opens his eyes to find Donghyuck watching him closely. Renjun calls out loudly that dinner is ready, but Mark is too busy blinking, trying to calm the racing of his heart and the longing for more. Donghyuck shakes his head, smirking at Mark’s flushed face before grabbing the dark-haired boy’s hand and pulling him along, out of the room. Mark wraps his other hand around Donghyuck’s, breathes in vanilla, and with his heart racing and face deliriously warm from sudden happiness, he _smiles_.

_______________________

Sneaking away to the Rift the next day is less difficult than Mark is expecting. They spend the day searching for Jisung in intervals, and the moments where they return to Doyoung’s apartment, hands empty of flyers, exhausted, and hearts heavy are some of the worst. The silence that hangs over the group, tense and desperate, is uncomfortable because it takes hold of even Renjun, who forces out his words in quiet, barely-there whispers. It reminds Mark that things in Seochu were held together by thin strings, and all it took was for one to go missing for things to just fall apart.

Jeno refuses to take any breaks. He spends the entire day looking, talking to as many people who would listen, asking around even the more tougher parts of Seochu. Jaemin seemed to get worse with each passing hour without any sight or clues about Jisung’s disappearance. Eventually Renjun had to accompany him back to the apartment in order to help calm him down. Donghyuck quickly grows frustrated with the lack of progress. He tenses and paces until he’s on his knees, whimpering about his ribcage. Jungwoo and Johnny decide to take him to the ER. And somewhere in the midst of it all, Mark hails a taxi and instructs the driver to take him to the Rift.

The man looks at him and tilts his head in confusion, but one glance at Mark’s clothes seems to change his mind. Mark isn’t sure if he should be offended that the driver had quickly written him off as someone who wasn’t a fighter or the fact that the older man had realized he was a surfacer and that taking him to such a dangerous place regardless would guarantee a hefty tip. The entire ride to the other side of town consists of fidgeting, twisting his fingers, scooting around in his seat, and peering out of the window at the worn buildings and cracked pavement as if they didn’t make up all of Seochu. It’s late into the evening when the taxi finally pulls to a stop. Mark returns the driver’s farewell (and begrudgingly tips the man extra) and pushes the door open, only to feel his stomach ache with nerves.

The Rift is just as he remembers it, a series of cabins sitting beneath a bridge, surrounded by a grassy expanse that gave away to dirt. He can see the small lake hidden by the bridge and the bonfires that light up the impending night. His only comfort is that Fridays were reserved for celebration. But Seochu lacked rules, which meant that, at any moment, bright smiles and loud laughter could give into bruised cheeks and black eyes. But Mark doesn’t look back when he shuts the car door and makes his way to the grassy expanse. It’s crowded, shoulders brush against him, eyes look at him curiously, and he hates how vulnerable he feels without Donghyuck and the others around. But he thinks of Jisung, how its been five days since he’s seen him, and he quickly pushes his anxiousness aside to search for any sign of Hendery. He makes it to the bridge overlapping the lake where he hesitates, staring at the series of cabins wearily.

The bonfires illuminated the figures within them, rowdy men who pushed and shoved each other, drunk and barely restraining the need for violence. Mark knew he wouldn’t be able to defend himself against people who fought simply for the thrill of it, but he doesn’t see any other choice except to take a deep breath before hesitantly crossing the bridge. A group of boys who appear to be around his age are sharing a cigarette. But when they spot him, their faces morph into devious smirks and the cigarette is quickly stomped out under a brunet’s foot. Their eyes narrow in on Mark the moment he steps off of the bridge. There’s no turning back, not when the blond up front, the unofficial leader, steps towards him first and the others are quick to follow.

“I’m afraid a few days back in Seoul might have made you forget how things work down here in Seochu.” A familiar voice says before an arm is slung around Mark’s shoulder. When he looks over, Hendery is there, turning them around and guiding him back across the bridge. When he glances back, the blond is ushering his friends back to their corner, looking at Mark with curiosity and Hendery with a hint of dread. As they cross the bridge, Hendery glances at him and frowns, “Not that I’m not happy to see you or anything, but why are you here? And most importantly, why are you alone?”

“Jisung is missing.” Mark tells him, ignoring the way his ears burn at the other boy’s words, “Xiaojun told me to come here because you might be able to help.”

“So, you came all the way to the Rift alone…that’s impressive.” Hendery says, drawing Mark in closer by the arm on his shoulder before he hums, “How long has he been missing?”

“Since Monday night, we’ve been searching for days and we don’t know why he left or where he could be.” Is Mark’s quiet response as he thinks of Jisung possibly being in danger or hurt. It makes his stomach twist, sends a jolt of anxiety coursing through him. It forces him to look up and ask, “S-So do you think you could help?”

“I can since you’re the one asking.” Hendery replies with a shrug before he smirks, drawing Mark in closer with a hand on his shoulder until he can see the shadow of flames dancing on the dark-haired boy’s skin, “But of course it’s going to cost you… you’re a very pretty surfacer and I think Ten will like you better when you’re not flanked by rabid dogs. I’ll help you find Jisung, but first, you have to do something for me.”

When Hendery leans in close, there is no overwhelming scent of vanilla and the only warmth comes from the flames behind them. With darkness stretching above them, Mark takes in the dim glint in Hendery’s eyes and the vague smirk on the dark-haired boy’s lips, and, in order to find Jisung, he promises himself to the fighter in front of him (for the time being).

_______________________

Hendery’s request is for Mark to have dinner at Ten’s on Saturday, alone. What quickly makes Mark agree is the fighter’s promise to start searching for Jisung immediately. Mark isn’t hesitant to trust Hendery or his words. Despite being outspoken and his obvious tension with Donghyuck, he seemed honest and genuine. He promised to find Jisung and even laughed when making Mark lock pinkies with him in a sudden display of playfulness. Like Xiaojun, Hendery seemed confident that he could convince his managers to help locate Jisung – he simply waved Mark off when he asked about the two older men and assured that he had everything under control.

Mark figures it was the perk of being Ten’s favorite, according to Xiaojun, that made Hendery so at ease, strolling around the Rift with Mark beside him, calling out taunting words to other fighters and laughing loudly if they got offended in return. It seemed that the only time the dark-haired boy wasn’t so relaxed was in the presence of Donghyuck. It made Mark wonder whether Donghyuck was simply good at getting under other people’s skin or whether Hendery was truly as confident as he seemed. That night, he took a taxi home with the fighter and Hendery even walked him the rest of the way back to the apartment, which mostly consisted of the dark-haired boy complimenting him until Mark’s face turned red, a sight that made Hendery laugh until his sides hurt.

Mark had returned to Donghyuck’s empty room because the brunet had to spend the night in the ER. He tossed and turned and woke up every few hours, glancing at the empty spot beside him before giving up and staring at the ceiling tiredly until the morning came. Usually, mornings in the apartment were loud. Jisung would be whining about Tom Nook and his criminal prices, Jeno and Donghyuck would be running in and out of rooms, wrestling and chasing each other with Jaemin trailing behind them, threatening to beat them both with a broom, and Renjun would be shouting his timeline for taking down Gordon Ramsay among the loud clatter of pots and pans.

But the silence that greets Mark’s ears when he sits up in bed is almost painful. He climbs from beneath the covers and makes his way out of the room. The hallway is just as quiet, and he’s not sure what possesses him to, but he turns right last minute and slowly pushes open the door to Jisung’s room. He blinks in surprise at the sight that greets him. Jaemin is passed out on Jisung’s bed, clutching a Ryan plush, and Jeno is asleep on the other bed, his back facing them – both were exhausted from hours of searching. On the floor, Renjun sat leaning against a bed with a scrapbook in his hands.

“Come look at this.” The brunet ushers Mark over quietly. He looked exhausted in a way that let Mark know he probably had a hard time sleeping as well. But his smile was still so bright, despite the somberness in his eyes. Mark timidly sits down beside the brunet and glances at the picture Renjun points to, “Jisung was ten here.”

The scrapbook page reveals a picture that seemed to have been taken with a polaroid. In it, a ten-year-old Jisung could be seen huffing at the camera. Beside him, Donghyuck was smiling widely, giving a thumbs up with a band-aid on his cheek. Mark wonders what room they’re in until he glances back and sees the same watercolor painting of a fox behind them on Jisung’s bedroom wall.

“Woah” He breathes out, tracing his fingers over the grainy portions of the picture, “I didn’t know you all knew each other for so long.”

“Eight years can seem like a long time. It’s six with Jaemin and almost ten with Hyuck. But when you’re with people you love, time means nothing. When Jisung used to sneak into my bed for cuddles or make fake vomit with Hyuck to get out of school, I felt like we had all the time in the world. But I guess I should have known better because now that he’s…away, time is just slipping through my fingers like quicksand and it's actually starting to scare me.” Renjun admits with a strained, somber smile. He flips the page of the scrapbook to reveal another picture. Renjun is smiling widely, poking a pouty Jisung in the cheek with an icing covered finger. Donghyuck is giving Jisung bunny ears behind the younger’s head and on the table before them is a small birthday cake with a few candles and sprinkles. The sight of it makes Renjun’s voice somewhat shaky when he speaks, “I found Jisung digging through our garbage. It wasn’t uncommon in Seochu for people to look through the trash for food. Things were that bad when the fighting ring was first being built. I saw Jisung a few times before I finally caught him. He was small but he was also adamant that I wanted to kidnap him. When I tried to get him to come back to the apartment, he almost gave me a black eye!”

Mark laughs when Renjun cradles his eye, shivering as if he were reliving the experience. He imagines a younger Jisung, small and thin, but apparently feisty enough to still fight.

“He was tiny, but he really packed a punch. I had to ask Hyuck to help me convince him to have dinner with us. He was hesitant but he loved it. I’m a terrible cook, I can admit it, but Jisung ate everything and that, alongside him digging through our trash, was how I knew that wherever he lived, they weren’t feeding him. He kept coming back after that. He was too shy to ask to eat with us, so I had to invite him in every single time.” Renjun cracks a small smile, flipping to another picture where Jisung looks a few years older, a black backpack slung over his shoulder with a smiling Jaemin hugging him, “Jisung never talked about his parents or a family, but I don’t think he really had either because after almost a year of dinners, he started living with us at the apartment. I’ll never forget the night Hyuck asked him to stay. Jisung never cries but that night, he just started bawling. Me and Hyuck held him and we told him we were happy that he was going to be a part of our family… There’s this thing in Seochu where you just know when someone is alone and has lost everything because we’re all like that down here…alone and without anyone or anything.”

Renjun’s words send a somber feeling coursing through Mark. He realizes then that he’s had a privileged life in Seoul, blissfully unaware of the people fighting for survival in the forgotten city below him. He wonders what he can do to make it all right. He thinks he can start by helping them find Jisung.

“But Jisung wears it so well you could never tell what he’s been through or that he’s never had the same things as other kids his age.” Renjun continues. His smile grows wide and warm, and it reminds Mark that there’s still some joy left in it all, “He likes video games, he hates school, and he’s tried to teach Hyuck how to moonwalk a thousand times. He thinks Jeno’s Facebook dad sayings are cringy, but he knows them all by heart. He whines at me to treat him like an adult, but he pouts some mornings until I make him pancakes. When Jaemin first came, he was really closed off, but the first person he opened up to was Jisung… Jisung is so important to us, to Seochu… I don’t care what it takes, I just want him to come _home_ -“

Renjun cuts himself off, struggling to blink back his tears. Mark wraps his arms around the brunet and pulls him close. He can feel the dampness on his shoulder and Renjun’s subtle trembling, all of which makes him think of the night to come.

“I’ll find him for you.” He tells Renjun gently as he rubs the brunet’s back, “I promise.”

Mark has made plenty of promises in his childhood. He promised his mother that he would make good grades in middle school. He promised Jeno that when they got older, they would form a bike club and become the best motorcyclists in the city. But this is different. He would have to trust Hendery and be at the mercy of Ten for the night, but if it meant finding Jisung, Mark knew that it was worth it. 

_______________________

Ten’s house is the largest he’s ever seen in Seochu. Mark stands in front of what looks like a mansion and he wonders how many bloody bodies in the ring have built the landscape before him. The grass is lush and well-groomed surrounding a light brick walkway. There’s a small garden with roses, lilies, sunflowers, and shrubbery. The mansion is several floors of ivory build that intimidates Mark. High rise double doors make up the entrance. Hesitantly, he rings the doorbell, giving the tall, polished windows beside him a weary look. When the doors swing open, the last person he’s expecting to see is Kun. The manager, for the most part, looks relaxed. His hands are shoved in the pockets of his slacks casually and he smiles pleasantly at the sight of Mark.

“Hendery told us you were coming.” The brunet says, ushering Mark inside.

“Uh, y-yes, thank you for having me.” Mark hates the way he stammers over his words.

But it was hard to ignore the awkwardness of it all. The last place he expected to be on a Saturday in Seochu was at Ten’s mansion, standing before Yukhei’s manager. Kun looks mostly unaffected. He motions for Mark to follow him before leading the way across the foyer. Mark takes in marble floors, high, white walls, and a staircase that seems to spiral up several floors with silk rugs and crystal chandeliers. Several pictures covered the walls, most of them of Ten with an older man that Marked assumed was his father. There were also a few of Ten and Kun and then one with the couple and Yukhei, Hendery, Xiaojun, and Yangyang when they were preteens. Mark is so caught up in the pictures that he nearly runs into Kun when the elder starts to slow his steady pace.

They were nearing a rather wide, open doorway. Mark could hear grunting and loud, punching sounds. Curious, he follows Kun into the room to find it expanding across several feet. It seemed to mimic Johnny’s training center with polished floors, punching bags, weights, and a miniature fighting ring. He spots Yukhei standing in front of a punching bag, forehead drenched in sweat. He seemed to be struggling to catch his breath and the way he rubbed his closed fist told Mark that he was in the middle of an intense training session. But Ten, who stood behind the punching bag, seemed to have no mercy. The blond’s eyes were narrowed as he regarded his fighter. Beside him stood a dark-haired man who seemed to be calmly giving Yukhei encouraging words before Ten interrupts.

“Why are you holding back? If Donghyuck can knock out teeth, then so can you.” The blond manager shakes his head, “You’re really disappointing today, Xuxi. At this rate, I’m not sure if we can count on you to bring us anything other than a loss.”

The word _loss_ seems to make Yukhei flinch. It also takes whatever energy the fighter has left because his exhaustion wins and he collapses to the ground, looking tired and defeated. Ten looks unfazed by the sight, but the dark-haired man beside him reaches out a hand to help the fighter up. 

“He’s exhausted, Ten.” The man says, but the blond simply waves him off.

“Everyone is exhausted, Sicheng. It’s Seochu. We’re all tired here. But there’s no time for rest, not when there are championships to be won.” The manager retorts before shoving the punching bag towards Yukhei.

The fighter looks caught off guard, but before Mark can watch the collision, Kun clears his throat and ushers him away with a nervous smile.

“Hendery and the others should be back here.” The brunet says, quickly leading Mark away from the practice room.

The dark-haired boy frowns, wondering what to make of it all. Kun leads him to a room at the end of the hall. It was an empty, open space and Mark realizes why when he spots Yangyang, Xiaojun, and Hendery on skateboards. Xiaojun was simply sitting on his while Yangyang was lying on his stomach, pushing against the ground. Hendery seemed to be the only one standing, skating around the room with indifferent ease. His dark hair was styled neatly and he wore a white button-down with black slacks, as did Xiaojun and Yangyang, though Yangyang seemed eager to take his off as he had already undone all of the buttons to reveal a white undershirt. Kun also wore a black button-down and it made Mark wonder if dinner at Ten’s was a formal event. Suddenly, he felt inadequate in his plain beige sweater and light jeans. 

“Hey, you’re back!” Yangyang exclaims when he spots Mark in the doorway. He waves from where he’s still huddled on his skateboard.

“I told you he was back yesterday.” Xiaojun frowns over at the younger.

“It’s not like I actively listen when you talk.” Yangyang replies, rolling his eyes at the brunet. Xiaojun narrows his eyes at the other boy in response. 

“You do realize I’m older than you, right?”

“Yeah, and it shows!” 

Mark can’t help his amused grin when Xiaojun picks up his skateboard, prepared to throw it at Yangyang who pushes against the floor quickly with his hands, attempting to escape on his skateboard. Kun hurries into the room to prevent the impending fight and Hendery uses the opportunity to skate over to Mark.

“Come on, let’s get you away from the looney bin.” The dark-haired boy says, picking up his skateboard before leading the way down another hallway.

Mark sticks beside him closely. The pair walk in comfortable silence until they reach another spacious room. This one has a window that seems to stretch across the opposite wall and a grand piano is pushed against the wall that Hendery seats himself at, motioning for Mark to sit beside him. Mark slides on the bench beside him, ignoring the way their knees brush. Hendery begins to play random keys on the piano that are light and pleasing, and Mark can’t help it. He stares because the fighter is still so mysterious and difficult to read. It was different from being around Donghyuck, who was outspoken and transparent. Hendery seemed to only show what he wanted others to see and if his purpose was to keep Mark guessing and make him curious enough to want to know more, it was working.

“I bet you’re wondering why I asked you to come.” The dark-haired fighter speaks up suddenly, glancing at Mark with a small smile.

“Am I that obvious?” Mark groans with a flustered look. He thinks of Donghyuck and he wonders if all fighters in Seochu were so perceptive or if he was just easy to read.

“Yes, but it’s cute.” Hendery tells him, laughing at his reaction. When his laughter dies down and their eyes meet, Mark quickly looks away, playing with the piano keys to distract himself. The dark-haired boy shakes his head before speaking, “I just wanted to show you another side of Seochu. At the last Saturday dinner, we seemed like terrible people. But we’re not so bad, right? We’ve already started looking for Jisung.”

“You have?” Mark breathes out, a sense of amazement making him look at Hendery, who smiles and nods in response.

“Ten has people all over the city looking for any sign of him.” The fighter replies, “Is that something a bad person would do? Look, Mark, I didn’t ask you to come here so I could change the way you think. I just want you to see Seochu for what it really is. Not everyone here is the victim they claim to be, but I’m sure you’ve heard differently from certain people…”

It doesn’t take much for Mark’s mind to wander to Donghyuck. He seemed to be a personal target for Hendery. The brunet fighter had never gone out of his way to make himself seem like a victim, but it was obvious that Yukhei had abandoned him when he least expected and broke his heart. Despite this, Donghyuck hadn’t actively cast Yukhei as a villain either. He had never given his personal opinion or revealed the thoughts that hurt him to anyone. Instead, Mark had observed bitter smiles and unaddressed tension, and he put the pieces of the puzzle together for himself. Now, Hendery was trying to add new pieces to his already complete picture and it made him frown. 

“Is this about Hyuck?” He asks, “He doesn’t really go around telling me who’s good or who’s bad. He just shows me Seochu and lets me make of it what I want to… but it’s hard because there’s only so much I can see and know with just my eyes only.”

It was true. Donghyuck had shown him every part of what Seochu was for him, the good and the bad. Mark has seen The Underground escape, Sunny’s, the Rift, Taeyong’s orphanage, and the arena. He knows there are sunflowers and greenhouses, grimy darkness and a haze of smoke, the laughter of children and new adventures. He’s figured it all out with Donghyuck beside him, silent and patient, letting Mark create his own perception. But Hendery doesn’t look convinced. 

“I hope you don’t think he’s exceptionally patient.” Is his off-handed response, “You’re like a blank canvas. He can paint any picture he wants with you. But people like me and Xuxi know best… the fighter Lee Donghyuck and the boy outside of the ring are two entirely different people.”

“I think that I’m starting to know the two separately.” Mark tells him quietly. He thinks of warmth, a kiss on the cheek, and the comfort of another hand in his. It makes him shake his head and he smiles when he admits, “And they still bring me back to Seochu with just a thought, regardless."

His thoughts are filled with soft curls and vanilla. His heart aches with such an intense longing that he misses Hendery’s frown and the silence that follows as the realization hits them both.

Ten’s dining room is extensive. The table, a glass structure topped with silk, ivory liners spans the entirety of the room. There are golden plates, expensive wine bottles with foreign names, the ivory walls have a lace imprint, and there are people serving the food who whisk by like shadows. The crystalline chandeliers provide dim lighting and Mark is almost certain that he can see his reflection in the marble floors. Beside him, Hendery looks unfazed by the silk rugs and golden plaques on the walls. Next to him, Xiaojun and Yangyang are sneaking food to a cat hiding beneath the table. Across from them, Ten sits in a silk shirt, the rings on his fingers shining beneath the bright lights, and Kun is sitting beside him, watching Xiaojun and Yangyang with a suspicious look.

“Where is Xuxi?” Ten speaks up suddenly, looking around the dining room with a frown.

“He was getting dressed but then he fell asleep.” Yangyang answers, glancing up from where he’s sneaking the cat a piece of chicken with a grin, “He has like one shoe on and is passed out on the floor in the guest room.”

“He must be really tired.” Kun says quickly, “We should let him rest.”

Ten looks as if he doesn’t agree with the suggestion but when it’s clear that Kun seems firm in letting the fighter take a break, he doesn’t argue. It’s the first time Mark hasn’t seen them on one accord, and it makes him wonder if Yukhei changed things. But then, he watches as the blond manager just as quickly moves on from any potential conflict.

“I was surprised you accepted Hendery’s offer to have dinner with us, Mark.” Ten shifts his gaze to the boy across from him.

“Um, I was kind of surprised when Hendery invited me.” Mark replies, suddenly feeling awkward. But he pushes his nerves aside to add with sincerity, “A-And… I really appreciate you helping us find Jisung.”

“Hm, it’s really a shame that after all of these years, Doyoung still can’t keep track of things…like time and _people_ -“ Ten cuts himself off with an amused smirk. He glances at Kun, who seems to avoid his gaze by looking down at his plate. The picture from Doyoung’s apartment flashes through Mark’s mind and he wonders if there’s more to it. He watches as Ten’s amusement dies down before the manager speaks again, “I want to find Jisung because I’m passionate about the kids in Seochu despite what it may seem like. Many people call it a corrupt monstrosity, but the fighting ring was built to give the less fortunate kids a chance at a better life. It brought money to our struggling city. With the growing number of orphans, fighters were able to make small families among themselves. Seochu was falling apart, the fighting ring saved it. My family’s devotion to this city saved it.”

The gleam of conviction in Ten’s eyes told Mark that he firmly believed in his words. But the way Hendery’s eyes grow downcast and Xiaojun and Yangyang pause in feeding the cat were subtle hints that they might have thought otherwise. Ten seemed to be speaking from a place of privilege. According to Doyoung, the blond was the only manager that had never set foot in the ring. But he seemed to love the ring and fighting with the strength of someone who knew aggression and sacrifice firsthand. “It’s easy to love something when someone else is doing it for you.” Doyoung had told Mark when the younger had asked about the blond manager and his eagerness to see Donghyuck and Yukhei in the ring. 

“Your family owns the fighting ring?” Mark asks because his curiosity is still there.

“My grandfather had the arena built, my father now owns it, and if I’m lucky, I’ll be calling the shots when the time comes.” Ten tells him, motioning to one of the many pictures of him and the older man that appears to be his father. He smirks proudly before his expression evens out, “Many people seem to think I have it easy. I have money that I can’t personally touch and I’m so close to something that I have no control over. The only way I can have a say in the underground is to be a manager, but the difference between me and Doyoung is that I actually care about the people that I put inside the ring.”

Ten’s words are sharp. They cut through Mark on Doyoung’s behalf. It reminds him of Hendery with Donghyuck, the way Ten takes jabs at Doyoung while picking at his rice. The casualness of it all does nothing to hide lingering wounds, and Mark is left to wonder how deep the history in Seochu is. He wonders how the blond can so easily write Doyoung off as careless when the dark-haired manager fussed over Donghyuck’s injuries every day and had exhausted himself with trying to find Jisung. Was it a façade? Mark shifts uncomfortably at the thought. Hendery glances at him and he looks guilty for reasons that Mark doesn’t understand. But before the silence can be broken by anyone at the dinner table, one of the men who had helped served the food returns with a nervous expression.

“There’s someone at the front door, and I’m afraid that if you don’t come quickly, he’s going to break it down.” He blurts out in a rush.

Kun is the first to stand from the table, Hendery follows him with a somewhat anxious expression, Xiaojun and Yangyang look curious, but Ten simply shakes his head.

“Speak of the devil and he’ll break onto your property.” The manager mutters in amusement making Mark frown.

How did he know it was Doyoung? Was he expecting the other manager? Most importantly, how did Doyoung know Mark would be at the mansion? Mark follows Ten and the others through the elaborate halls to the front entrance. The double doors are open and Kun is staring at the person on the other side with a certain hesitance. When Mark gets close enough, he’s met with Doyoung standing in the doorway wearing an irritated expression that quickly softens at the sight of him.

“Let’s go, Mark.” His voice is gentle, and it reminds Mark of Donghyuck with the way it seeks permission. It was a suggestion posed as a statement, but Mark doesn’t see any reason to stay. He wanted to avoid escalating the situation, so he steps out of the mansion and the manager immediately wraps a protective arm around him and guides him away.

“Are you his manager?” He can hear Ten scoff from behind them, and when he looks back, Kun is holding the blond back by the arm, “You don’t get to make decisions for him, Doyoung.”

“I know the concept is foreign to you, but in my camp, everyone makes their own decisions.” Doyoung glances back with a small smirk, “Mark is no exception.”

He turns and leaves behind an irate, shouting Ten, who ignores Hendery and Kun’s attempts to calm him down. Mark doesn’t bother to look back because he knows its better to simply go forward. Just like that, dinner at Ten’s had become a thing of the past. It’s a bit surreal how quickly he becomes entangled in a history still being written. The walk to Doyoung’s car makes him feel guilty with each step. Eventually, it overwhelms him, making him reach over and ball his fist in the bottom of the elder’s shirt like a child seeking forgiveness.

“Hyung… I’m sorry if I crossed the line.” He murmurs quietly, eyes downcast, “I thought that if I came, Ten would be able to help us find Jisung.”

“Ten isn’t going to help us find Jisung, but I’m sure that someone very _close_ to him will.” Doyoung clarifies. His voice strains over the word _close_ and Mark is left to wonder the meaning behind it. His mind wanders to the picture in the manager’s apartment, but he quickly wills the image away when Doyoung opens the car door and ushers him inside. Mark sits on the leather seats and watches as the older man hesitates, “And don’t be sorry for making your own decisions. I meant what I said, I won’t take the right to decide from you. And I hope that, if I’ve ever taught Donghyuck anything, he’ll be just as patient and understanding when it comes to you making your own way in Seochu… If there’s anything you should know it’s that I’m honest and Donghyuck is the only one you really need to understand this place. Yes, it’s biased coming from me, but I hope you’ll believe it because it’s the truth… Also, thank you for sticking your neck out for Jisung – I imagine he’s going to be really happy when we get to tell him about it.”

The manager gives Mark a small smile, fond and gentle, one that softens his dark eyes before he shuts the door. As the older man makes his way to the driver’s side, Mark glances at the mansion. The double doors are empty except for a figure still standing between them. He’s surprised to find Kun standing there, watching them with an unreadable expression. The brunet’s gaze shifts into something like remorse before he quickly shakes his head and disappears back into the home, the double doors closing shut behind him. Doyoung pulls the door closed on the driver’s side and cranks up the car. Mark rests his head against the window, he thinks of Jisung with an ache in his heart that follows him the entire ride back to Doyoung’s apartment. 

_______________________

Mark leaves Doyoung’s apartment around midnight. The manager is fast asleep and Jungwoo is so exhausted from his Saturday night shift at the arena that he doesn’t think twice when Mark tells him that he’s leaving for the night. The cool air is welcome to Mark as he walks beneath the cloudless, nighttime sky. Seochu is silent at night, and despite being in such a seemingly dangerous city, the most uneventful part of his walk is the sudden drop in temperature. Even with his sweater, Mark is shivering by the time he arrives at the apartment. He uses the spare key Renjun had given him to unlock the door, stepping into the dark apartment. When he turns around to lock the door behind him, a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders.

“Hyuck?” He breathes out, feeling his heart begin to stir in his chest.

“Where have you been, surface boy?” Donghyuck’s voice is a quiet whisper. He turns Mark around and looks his face over quickly for any signs of injury.

“I was with Doyoung hyung.” Mark tells him, reaching out to grab the other boy’s hand, “I’m okay.”

Donghyuck hums in acknowledgment and it’s only when he doesn’t spot any bruises or cuts on Mark’s face that he leads the other boy through the darkness to the hallway. The blanket wrapped around his shoulders brushes against the ground and he seemed better, his breathing was less labored, and he was coping with the current state of ribcage with much more ease. Mark’s fingers brush against the hospital band still on the brunet’s wrist when they enter Donghyuck’s room. The blackout curtains were pushed open, light from the moon flooding in. Donghyuck carefully sits down on the floor, pulling Mark down with him. He wraps his blanket around a still shivering Mark and pulls the dark-haired boy against his chest. It’s warm, the softness of the purple blanket and Donghyuck’s smooth skin when he rests his head against Mark’s neck.

“I couldn’t sleep the first night you left, because Jisung was missing but also… I felt like something else was missing.” Donghyuck murmurs, “But you’re back and it's different… I hope it will be different.” 

Mark wants to question the other boy’s words but when he turns his head, the brunet’s eyes have slipped closed and his breathing has evened out. It seemed the fighter was exhausted but had been fighting off his sleep to make sure Mark returned to the apartment safely. The thought makes Mark smile as he gently runs his fingers through the fighter’s curls. He sits in front of the moonlight, wrapped in the blanket and Donghyuck’s warmth. He felt safe and light, soft comfort making him blink blearily. But just as sleep starts to set in, his phone vibrates in his pocket. Mark quickly pulls it out, careful not to wake Donghyuck when he glances at the message on the screen.

**Hendery**

_Good news._

_Sources say they saw Jisung near the artistry_ _district Monday night._

 _Maybe if you check that area,_ _you’ll find something._

Mark’s hands shake slightly as he texts back his thanks. He could feel his heart rate spike, nerves making him stomach tighten at the thought of finding his missing friend. He thinks of how relieved Renjun will be and already imagines the life returning to Jaemin’s eyes when he receives another text that makes him frown.

**Hendery**

_We’re not all bad_

Mark isn’t sure what to make of the message, so he texts the other boy back to ask what he means. He watches and waits for several minutes but he never receives a response. He wonders if he was ever meant to receive one to begin with. But most importantly, he thinks of how they will go to the artistry district first thing tomorrow morning. It’s been six days since Jisung went missing and now, they had their first clue regarding his whereabouts. Mark sighs, closes his eyes, and hopes that tomorrow is the day that Park Jisung will be found. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so so much for 200+ kudos!!! Wow!! I appreciate every kudos/comment/hit this story receives. Knowing that people are interested in and enjoying the story really motivates me to continue to tell it, so thank you!! ❤❤❤
> 
> I think this is the longest chapter so far. I wonder if it has made anyone think differently about certain characters, relationships, or situations. I'm curious to hear your thoughts ~ thank you for reading!!!


	9. Missing Part Two

On Sunday morning, Mark sets foot in Seochu’s artistry district.

Like most of the city, it’s abandoned. The buildings are worn, the graffiti has begun to fade on the aging brick structures, shop windows are covered in thin layers of dust and grime, and if it weren’t for the brunet standing beside him, he would be left to wonder whether anyone had ever truly lived there. Renjun had been conflicted when Mark had (timidly) asked to see Seochu’s artistry district. Initially, he seemed hesitant, and in the few seconds that he seemed to choke up at the thought of returning to his childhood, Mark was left with the regret of asking. But Hendery’s sources had pinpointed Jisung’s last appearance in the area, and he didn’t want to risk the chance of not finding the blond because of a failure to follow up on all possible leads. He couldn’t tell Renjun what Hendery had told him or that he had spent Saturday at Ten’s mansion, so he was more than relieved when the brunet seemed to come around on his own. Renjun had held back his tears and with a small, shaky smile, he agreed to return to the artistry district. Now, he held tightly to Mark’s hands as they walked the empty streets. Mark doesn’t miss the nostalgia that glints in the brunet’s eyes at the sight of certain shops and buildings, and he also doesn’t miss the outline of the paintbrush in the other boy’s pocket.

“This my dad’s shop.” Renjun says suddenly, gripping Mark’s hand tightly. When Mark looks over, it’s to see a quaint building with faded mahogany wallpaper and grime-covered display windows. The glass double doors were cracked, and the left half was shattered. He watches as Renjun hesitantly approaches, ghosting his fingers over the broken glass. His face is flushed, and his voice is quiet with shame when he admits, “When I first left the apartment, I had to break in because I was hungry and I remembered that dad used to keep candy behind the counter to keep him energized when he would spend hours just painting. Sometimes I would skip school and stay in the shop with him. He liked to mix candies like it was an experiment, pour soda in the fizzy stuff, add sour straws, and dare me to eat it with him.”

Renjun smiles, one that says there is still something good beneath the rubble to hold onto. Mark reaches over and places his hand on the other boy’s shoulder.

“Mom used to hate it.” The brunet continues, shaking his head, “She was always nagging at him about cavities and good health, but he never listened. He just started hiding the candy behind the counter. The shop went bankrupt when Seochu hit its economic slump, and we never came back because it made dad too depressed… but the weird thing is that, after my parents left, and I broke in for candy, there was none. Mom used to replace dad’s candy bowl with whole-grain bars, but he always found out and threw them away before buying more candy. This time… the candy bowl was gone, and it was just the whole grain bars, kind of like he gave up on fixing it.”

Renjun’s finger traces the jagged edges of the shattered door and in the silence that follows, the unsaid words leave a hollow feeling in the air. _Like he gave up on us_. Seochu was a city of surrender and the forgotten. Renjun was a rare case of survival that had managed to beat the odds, and Mark hates that such a story is only his to know and keep. He wanted everyone to know the strength and courage, the forgotten stories of the underground, but they weren’t his to share. Still, he was meant to hear them, to reach out and hold Renjun’s hand and watch him brave it all. 

“It’s empty now. Dad had to sell even the incomplete paintings to feed us, and the looters probably took whatever was left.” The brunet says, finally turning away from the shop, “I would rather remember it for what it used to be.”

Mark nods, giving the brunet’s hand a comforting squeeze. It was clear that Renjun wanted to keep the happy moments from his childhood that Seochu’s financial difficulties had tried to take from him. They give the shop one final glance before moving on. They pass smashed clay pots, torn crochet blankets hanging out of trashcans, and stumble over empty graffiti cans before approaching a complex of tall, maroon buildings. They catch Renjun’s eye immediately, and the brunet nearly trips over a graffiti can, but Mark quickly grabs the other boy’s arm to steady him. Renjun mumbles his thanks, but the strain in his voice and the way his hands shake slightly as they ghost over the paintbrush in his pocket tell Mark that the complex is the one where his friends fight for survival first began.

“We don’t have to go inside.” Mark tells him gently, and Renjun seems to consider the offer before he quickly shakes his head.

“Jisung could be inside.” He murmurs, “It’s probably a long shot but we should at least check. The mold is terrible, and it’s been years since I left, so I imagine it’s gotten much worse. But it’s a good thing I brought these!”

Renjun reaches into his pocket and presents two masks. He tugs one onto Mark’s face.

“I kind of stole these from Jungwoo, but that’s just our little secret.” The brunet explains with a small smile that makes his dark eyes brighten before he straps on his own mask, “Okay, let’s go.”

Mark allows the other boy to pull him up the creaky wooden stairs leading to the entrance. Like the shop, the windowpanes on the front door are smashed and the structure is already cracked open. Renjun simply gives the knob a light push and it swings open to reveal a long, dark hallway with torn, dirty carpet. The lightbulbs have died out long ago and the silence between units makes Mark swallow thickly. Even with the mask, it’s hard not to miss the thick, humid smog in the air and the way it seems to cling to them, exhausting and heavy.

Some doors are locked, permanently sealed away from the world for good, and others are open, though not much is left except for scraps of broken glass that let them know that even shattered vases were worth something in a time where they had nothing. By the time they finish searching the first floor, Mark feels a heavy somberness start to pull at him as they make their way up the stairs to the second floor. It seemed that just years ago he’d been having hot chocolate in a fort blanket with Jeno and his cousins while Renjun had been trudging through the cold, alone. He wonders how things could be so different, and how, despite it all, Renjun still holds his hand and guides him through it all with gentle ease.

When they reach the second floor, Mark is squeezing the other boy’s hand because it’s the only thing that’s somehow keeping him together. On the second floor, Renjun only takes two steps before a unit to the right catches his attention. The olive-colored door is already open, and the wooden floors are somewhat less worn than the others. When they step inside, Mark glances at the number etched in gold on the doorway – _23_.

“I walked out of here with sandals and my paintbrush, and I never thought I would come back.” Renjun’s voice is a quiet whisper, his eyes are glossy, and the smile on his lips is somber as he looks around the apartment.

It was empty, but the pair of shoes near the entrance quickly catches their attention. Renjun frowns at the sight, unfamiliar with the sneakers resting by the door. But instead of voicing his confusion to Mark, he just as quickly moves on to the living room.

“Every wall used to be covered in paintings and pictures. There were sculptures, easels, vases, paint cans, cameras, film rolls, and hardly any room to move between it all. But I loved it. It felt like I was living in a real museum.” Renjun says as he traces his hands over the bare walls. His voice is somewhat muffled by the mask, but it’s hard not to miss the hints of sadness and longing. Mark closes his eyes and imagines Renjun, small and hopeful, in his underground haven of paintings and sculptures. It brings a small smile to his lips and when he opens his eyes, Renjun’s mask is wrinkled in a way that hints at his own smile until he notices the pile of cut paper at his feet. The brunet bends down, reaching over and holding a stick figure up by the arm, “My parents were busy, and the other families had already left with their kids. I was lonely so I used the last bits of paper I had left from school to cut out stick figures. It was kind of pathetic…talking to them, telling them that I was scared, even though no one was really listening…”

Mark watches the other boy clutch the stick figure to his chest before he places a hand on the brunet’s shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze.

“But now you have so many people who are willing to listen.” He says because things had changed, and Renjun was no longer the freezing child at the end of December, but someone who made others smile and with gentle care, became the heart of a group of boys in Seochu.

“When I was lonely and cold, I thought ‘I never want to feel like this again.’ But now I have Hyuck and the others, and even you.” Renjun tells him quietly before grabbing Mark’s hand in his with a smile hidden behind his mask, “Now, I’m warm and with family, and I’m _happy_.”

There are many things that Mark wants to say. He wants to tell Renjun that he deserves it, the happiness and light, the warmth. He wants to express gratitude for being able to be apart of it, even just for a moment. But he chokes up and the words die down in his throat. He manages a weak smile, too overwhelmed with all that is Seochu and the miracles in between its cracked surfaces. But Renjun seems to understand. He pockets the paper stick figures, pats Mark on the shoulder comfortingly, then stands and wanders off to give the older boy space. Mark is grateful that Renjun is able to see things and understand them without explanation.

He’s not sure how long he stands there, blinking back his tears and withstanding the tightening in his chest. Eventually, he takes a deep breath and stands, glancing around the empty apartment. He spots a hallway nearby and a strange feeling pulls him towards it. He passes Renjun who seems to be outlining a spot on the wall with his fingers where a painting once sat. The hallway is dark, the lack of lighting from the blown bulbs makes Mark squint before he pulls out his phone and swipes on the flashlight.

The first thing he sees are bandages, antiseptics, and rolls of gauze strewn across the floor before he finds a first aid kit left open and abandoned. Mark frowns in confusion before continuing his trek down the hall. He’s barely taken two steps when he finds himself tripping over a solid form. When he looks down, there are two sets of legs propped beside each other. The dark-haired boy feels his heart rate pick up and his hand shakes slightly as he turns the flashlight towards the wall. What he sees has him stumbling forward, barely catching his phone as it threatens to slip from his grasp.

“R-Renjun!” He shouts as he drops to his knees, reaching out to grip Jisung’s face with shaky hands.

The blond’s eyes were closed, head propped against the wall, and his face was covered in cuts and bruises, poorly hidden by bandages and thin strips of cotton gauze. 

“What’s wrong-“ Renjun blurts out as soon as he arrives. He frowns as he kneels beside Mark only for his eyes to widen at the sight before them, “J-Jisung?”

The brunet reaches out, attempting to shake the younger but the blond is just as still as when he was first discovered. The hysteria and worry in Renjun’s voice as he attempts to wake an unresponsive Jisung returns Mark to the situation at hand. He places an ear close to Jisung’s mouth and waits, but the lack of movement or response sends dread coursing through him in waves.

“He’s unconscious.” He says finally. He wonders how long Jisung has been buried in darkness, unaware of the world that was still searching for him.

“T-The ambulance won’t come out here. Anything beyond the ring they don’t care about and this district is closed off.” Renjun blurts out, the realization quickly reducing him to tears. But his determination outweighs any somberness. Mark watches as he shakes his head, snapping himself out of his anxiousness to reach for Jisung, “But we can make it there on our own-“

The moment Renjun reaches for the blond, Jisung’s arm slumps to reveal a hand interlocked with his. Mark shines his flashlight to the left of the younger, only to suck in a deep breath at the sight of the person slumped beside him. It appeared to be a boy around Jisung’s age. Like the blond, his eyes were closed, and his body was still as it rested against the blond’s. His face lacked any bruises or cuts, though his cheeks were sunken in and when Mark glances down, the fingers interlocked with Jisung’s are thin and pale. He places an ear next to the dark-haired boy’s mouth only to frown at the lack of breathing and warmth.

“He’s out too.” Mark says, grabbing the unconscious boy’s arm. He gently lifts the other boy on his back, surprised with how light the younger is. “We should get them to the hospital.”

Renjun nods, hauling Jisung on his back carefully. He holds the blond’s legs securely as he rushes out of the apartment. Mark could feel his breath go shallow as the dark-haired boy’s head slumps against his neck. His legs felt shaky as he followed Renjun out of the front door into the suffocating hallway. He couldn’t believe it. Jisung had been found…

Now, it was a matter of saving him.

When they arrive at the emergency room, Mark nearly collapses. He catches himself, holding tightly to the arm of the unconscious boy on his back as nurses rush toward them. When he looks over, Renjun is blinking back tears as Jisung is carefully hauled on a stretcher. Mark does his best to deal with the tightening in his chest as the dark-haired boy is lifted from his back onto a stretcher as well. The bright lights of the emergency draw Mark’s attention to the blotchy purple bruises on Jisung’s face and the sharp thinness of his companion’s cheeks. The stretchers are rushed down the hall and Mark is left to wonder where to begin in piecing it all together. He glances at Renjun to find the brunet rubbing at his forehead with a tense look.

“I should call Jaemin and the others. They’ll want to know…” He murmurs quietly, digging his phone out before turning and heading back out of the double doors.

Mark watches him go before plopping down in one of the waiting room chairs. He sighs and slumps back until his head rests against the wall. The tension drains away in waves, leaving him feeling empty. Slowly, Mark closes his eyes and succumbs to his exhaustion.

He wakes up to Donghyuck’s worried face. Mark blinks blearily to find the brunet’s face mere inches from his, watching him with concern. 

“You’re okay…” The fighter notes quietly, caressing his cheek gently. Mark nods, face flushing as he does his best to ignore a curious look from the assistant at the front desk.

“How’s Jisung and his friend?” He asks. One glance at the clock on the wall behind them tells him that he’s been out for hours.

“The doctors are running tests, but they’re both still out of it.” Donghyuck tells him. The brunet sighs before sitting down and glancing at Mark, “Renjun’s on the rooftop with Jeno. It’s the only place he can be in the hospital where he won’t have a panic attack… He won’t say much, so I guess I’ll ask you… where did you find Jisung?”

“The artistry district…” Mark replies reluctantly. His gaze shifts downward when he admits, “Jisung and his friend… we found them passed out in Renjun’s old apartment.”

“What a coincidence.” Is Donghyuck’s sarcastic reply that makes him look over to find the brunet watching him closely, “I guess I’m just supposed to believe that your little trip to a closed-off district was random, right? It was all just some sort of miracle then, dragging Renjun there and _somehow_ finding Jisung with more bruises than I can count on all ten of my fingers.”

Donghyuck’s words are sharp. They silence Mark who hates the way the bright lights of the emergency room illuminate the distrust lingering in the brunet’s eyes. Donghyuck’s perceptiveness never ceased to catch him off guard. He caught Mark eavesdropping with ease and now, he seemed to have figured out the unspoken without asking a single question. Mark knew that mentioning Hendery or Saturday at Ten’s would only upset the other boy further. The woman behind the front desk is watching them and a few people in the emergency room are staring at Donghyuck, having recognized the brunet, but mostly curious about the tension growing between the two boys. He watches as the fighter’s jaw clenches before he looks away and his eyes soften. 

“Say something, surface boy.” Donghyuck says quietly. He seemed to realize that his anger was misguided but it doesn’t stop him from glancing at Mark as he awaits a response.

“Donghyuck-“ He starts only to breathe out a sigh of relief when two familiar faces come rushing into the emergency room.

“Sorry it took me so long. Soobin decided to flood the bathtub to try and make a pool for his siblings. I swear, that kid is going to make me bald before I’m even thirty!” Taeyong comes hurrying towards them with a stressed look. Despite the several headbands resting on his head, his light hair is wild and disheveled, and the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt are wet. Behind him, Dr. Moon looks amused at the sight of his husband’s chaotic state. He hides his grin behind his hand as Taeyong skids to a stop in front of them with frantic eyes, “How’s Jisung? Is he okay?”

“He will be once he wakes up.” Donghyuck tells him, making Taeyong’s eyes widen. But before the older man can panic even further, the brunet stands up and grabs his hand, “I can take you to his room, hyung.”

He leads the older man towards the hallway and Taeil looks prepared to follow. But one glimpse at Mark’s downcast expression makes him abandon his original plan to sit down next to the dark-haired boy.

“Is everything okay?” Dr. Moon asks, placing a timid hand on Mark’s shoulder.

“I think I made a mistake.” Mark admits quietly. He felt guilty about keeping his interactions with Hendery and Ten from Donghyuck, but the last thing he wanted to do was add to the tension in Seochu.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it can’t be that bad. Don’t be so hard on yourself, Mark.” Taeil says, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze before grinning, “So, how are you and Hyuck? I hear you two like each other.”

Dr. Moon laughs loudly at the way Mark’s eyes widen. Mark could feel his face flush and even though the fighter was upset with him, the thought of Donghyuck brought a small smile to his lips.

“I think he’s one of the reasons I keep coming back to Seochu.” He admits quietly. 

“You two will be good for each other. I think you even out the sides of him that Seochu has made tough.” Taeil tells him, shaking his head despite his smile, “The morning you left, he came by the clinic, and it was the shyest I’ve ever seen Lee Donghyuck. It was cute. He went ‘ _hyung, what made you fall for someone in Seochu_?’” 

Mark looks over in surprise at the older man’s words.

“You’re a surfacer?” He blurts out before slapping a hand over his mouth and laughing nervously, “S-Sorry, I still don’t know if that word is offensive or not-“

“Depends on the context” Taeil shrugs before nodding, “But yes, I’m from Seoul. I started commuting to Seochu at sixteen, but I officially moved here years later, after becoming a licensed therapist.”

“Woah” Mark can’t help but to feel amazed each time he uncovers the smallest bit of Seochu and its stories. He never knew the man beside him had a similar origin. Taeil seemed to fit in with Seochu as if it were where he had started. Suddenly, Mark was curious enough to ask, “When did you meet Taeyong hyung?” 

The smile on Taeil’s face is bright, even beneath the emergency room lights, and Mark can see the faintest hint of pink dusting the older man’s cheeks.

“On my sixteenth birthday, I was working the afternoon shift at my family's store to help take some of the stress off my parents. This guy around my age came bursting in with the most stressed look I’ve ever seen. He told me that it was an emergency – he needed all of the gummy candies our store was selling, immediately.” Mark laughs when Taeil imitates the stressed look on Taeyong’s face that seemed to have accompanied him to adulthood, “We wipe the shelves of gummy candy, I help him checkout, and I even volunteer to help him carry his bags because he’s cute and I still haven’t figured out a way to ask for his number. But once we got outside, the place was surrounded by kids. And they were hyper, even without the candy! Think of Soobin but with ten times the energy.”

Mark shivers at the thought of a child with more energy than Soobin.

“I started to wonder if he was some sort of weird, teenage kidnapper. It also didn’t help that when I asked him if they were his kids, he just shrugged and went ‘ _not yet_.’” Taeil grins, nostalgia making his eyes brighten while Mark snorts out a laugh, “But before I could call the cops, his father showed up. He explained that the children were from his orphanage and he wanted to bring them on a field trip to Seoul to experience city life. I had never heard of Seochu before, and I was always a curious person, so I spent my lunch break at the nearby park, sharing gummy candy with the kids and talking to Taeyong and his father. Mr. Lee was kind and wise, and Taeyong was cute and patient, even when he turned red after explaining to the kids for the _fifth_ time that you couldn’t melt coca-cola gummies into a cola drink.”

Mark watches as Taeil shakes his head despite his amusement.

“It was such a small thing, but it made my life what it is today. I’m always grateful when I think back to my sixteenth birthday… When it came time for Taeyong and his family to leave, I hadn’t worked up the courage to ask for his number. The week after, I was disappointed. I kept thinking of his eyes and the weird noises he made when he was shy or embarrassed. I wanted to see him again and have gummies with the kids and Mr. Lee. So, a few weeks later I went to the subway and used my memory of Mr. Lee’s directions to find Seochu. It’s kind of a shock, isn’t it? When you see the city compared to the people in it… Taeyong and his family were so bright and sweet, but Seochu was dim and gloomy. I thought, how can so much brightness be forgotten down below?” The bright lights reveal the nostalgia glimmering in Dr. Moon’s eyes when he smiles, “I had no idea where I was or how to get to the orphanage, so I asked around. It was dangerous but I was in luck. There was only one orphanage in the city. I took a taxi there and crashed one of the kid's sixth birthday party. But they were really happy to see me. Mr. Lee said he was expecting me. I still don’t know what he meant by it, but sometimes I think I’m close.”

Mark watches as the older man twists the wedding band on his finger with one of the brightest smiles he’s seen in Seochu, and he figures that Taeil is probably closer than he realizes.

“Taeyong was really eager to show me Seochu, the good and the bad. We spent the day together and he showed me flower shops, his favorite restaurants, and we snuck drinks out of one of the clubs. That night, I met his friends too. Johnny was tall and the bruises on his face made me worry that he might be a dangerous person. But he smiled a lot, made everyone laugh, and I noticed that everyone loved him. People were really happy to see him for reasons that I couldn’t understand yet, but it was still fascinating. Doyoung wasn’t really receptive at first, but I understand now that he was just being protective of Taeyong. They were really close, like brothers, play fighting one minute then fussing over each other the next, and it wasn’t uncommon for people from the surface to abandon their partners in Seochu. It took a while, but he eventually warmed up to me.” Taeil’s fond expression quickly fades into a bitter smile. He looks down and hesitates, “And Kun… Kun was sweet – he _is_ sweet. He asked a lot of questions about Seoul and he played a big role in getting Doyoung to welcome me into their friendship circle.”

Mark’s mind wonders to the picture at Doyoung’s apartment. It was odd hearing of a time when Kun and Doyoung were close. Now, they barely looked at each other, and it seemed that Yukhei and Donghyuck, championships, and Ten were just barely brushing the surface of it all.

“After that, Seochu became my other home. When I wasn’t in school or helping at the store, I was in Seochu with Taeyong. In between caring for the kids, eating at diners at two in the morning, sneaking into clubs with fake IDs, making cakes at midnight to surprise the kids, and picnics and bike rides in Seoul, I just kind of fell. Everything about it was patient and kind, and it took me almost a year to realize that it was love.” The smile slowly returns to the older man’s lips when he talks about Taeyong before an apprehensive look makes him frown, “It took me a while to confess. A few weeks before I worked up the courage to try, Taeyong pulled me aside and told me he had something to confess as well. I was nervous but he explained to me that he hadn’t shown me the biggest part of the city – the underground fighting ring. That night, we snuck into the arena and I almost fainted when I saw Johnny in the ring. I don’t know what was more disturbing, watching his arm be ripped out of the socket or the way the crowd was shouting for him to break his opponent’s arm in exchange. The ring is different… it’s a part of Seochu that I fear more than the crime or the poor infrastructure.”

The troubled look in Taeil’s eyes reminds Mark that the three fights he’s witnessed in the ring paled to whatever the older man had witnessed. Seochu was violent and at times, disturbing, but Mark shivers when he realizes that, at one time, it had been much worse.

“Taeyong explained that Johnny and the others had been fighting for years, since they were children, and that’s when I started to see things differently. Johnny used humor a lot to deflect the real issues. When he got seriously injured from fights, he would joke that he could be an extra in an action film. Doyoung became easily panicked at the idea of the people close to him being hurt or unwell. When we got close enough, he would call me when I was in Seoul and ask if I was okay and remind me to take care of myself. Kun was easy going, he liked to play games at this one arcade downtown as a form of stress relief but fights outside of the ring made him anxious and he would freeze up like a small child.” Taeil tells him quietly, and for the briefest moment, Mark could see the discomfort in the other man’s eyes as he spoke about the trauma the came with the ring and championship titles, “When college rolled around, I knew I wanted to study psychology. I wanted to understand Seochu – I wanted to help it. While attending university, I wasn’t able to visit the city was much. In the four years it took me to earn my degree, a lot had changed. Mr. Lee passed after Taeyong’s nineteenth birthday, so he had to quickly learn how to manage the orphanage on his own. Johnny, Doyoung, Kun, and I helped as best as we could. Johnny won the championships and he invested the prize money into reopening his father’s old training center. Doyoung began to dedicate his life to the ring while Kun spent more time on the wealthier side of town.”

Taeil sighs and his expression grows somber.

“By the time I graduated college, things completely fell apart. Orphans began running away to join the fighting ring, the ring had been passed down to someone who introduced new rules that made the championships a blood bath, and somewhere in the middle of it all, Doyoung and Kun became enemies.” Mark figures that there is still so much left unsaid between the history of the forgotten city, the portrait of Ten and his father, and the strained silence between Doyoung and Kun. It seemed normal for things to fall apart in the underground city. But the way Taeil smiles tells him that beneath the somberness of it all, things could work out, “But there was still light in dark Seochu. After my college graduation, I asked Taeyong to marry me and we had our wedding in the park where we first had gummies all those years ago. After finishing my masters and becoming licensed, I moved to Seochu and opened the clinic. I have a husband who’s changed more lives than I can count, we have kids like Soobin that we want to create different futures for where they don’t have to sacrifice their blood and sweat just to survive, and I have the clinic where I can bring peace to troubled minds… I don’t know if I’m worthy to hear their stories or to know their pain, I just know that this is exactly where I want to be.”

Taeil smiles and the sincerity in his dark eyes seems to outshine any darkness that Seochu had to offer. Beside Mark sat a man that had sacrificed a life on the surface to help the forgotten city underground and its tormented children. Among the dark shadows of the Rift and the blood and violence that stained the arena, Taeyong’s orphanage and Taeil’s clinics were beacons of light, sole sights of hope outside of the succession of champions.

“I thought Seochu was horrible, and I told myself I would never come back. But Hyuck showed me places like Sunny’s and the orphanage, and Renjun said that he felt carefree at the clinic. Now, I think that, even though things are bad, there can still be a happy ending.” Mark says, a small smile gracing his lips when he glances at the older man, “This city is really lucky to have you, hyung.”

“I guess Seochu’s luck just keeps better every year.” Taeil tells him with a small, knowing smile of his own. He pats the younger’s head with a fond expression, and for a moment, Mark feels closer to the light.

The moment is interrupted when the older man’s phone rings. Taeil digs it out of his pocket and glances at the caller ID.

“Sorry, I should take this.” He tells the dark-haired boy, excusing himself with an apologetic smile.

Mark watches him disappear beyond the emergency room’s double doors before he stands, heading towards the hallway. He decided he would try to find Renjun and Jeno. Using the maps on the wall, he makes his way to the second floor after a series of turns and endless stairs. He’s wandering down a mostly empty hallway, searching for another map when he passes a waiting room. He glances at the vending machines, the television hung on the wall, and the couches only to pause at the sight of a familiar face. Doyoung looked exhausted, but apprehension seemed to form the tense set to his shoulders as he stared at a figure hidden by the doorway.

“How is he?” A familiar voice asks.

“He hasn’t woken up yet, but I’m sure that when he does, he’ll be fine. Jisung is strong.” Doyoung tells them before his eyes grow downcast and his gaze softens, “But anything could have happened to him… so, thank you for helping us find him. It means a lot, even from you.”

“Xuxi used to run away a lot in the beginning. It scared me, even if he somehow always found his way back.” The other male replies, sounding somewhat amused before he adds with sincerity, “I know what it’s like, Doyoung, how hard it is to keep it all together. Don’t listen to Ten… you’re the best among us.”

The words make the dark-haired manager’s eyes widen. He looks up at the other man, seemingly at a loss for words. Mark watches as the figure steps forward, the hood over their head obscuring the other man’s face.

“Take care.” He says gently, reaching over and patting Doyoung’s shoulder before turning to leave. The dark-haired manager looks torn, hand reaching out for the hooded figure only to fall silent with a remorseful look.

Mark prepares to step back, only to freeze when the hooded figure passes. He glances at them, eyes widening at the sight of a familiar face. When they notice him, they offer a small smile before disappearing down the hallway. Mark watches them in a daze, unsure of what to make of their appearance or the way Doyoung stands there in a daze of regret and guilt.

“There you are.” When Mark looks over, Jeno is approaching with Renjun clinging to his arm. The younger frowns at his cousin’s expression, “Have you seen Jisung yet?”

“Not yet. I was hoping you guys might know what room he was in.” Mark tells him.

“He’s in 2205.” A voice supplies before Doyoung appears with a neutral expression, “It’s this way.”

Mark falls in line with Renjun and Jeno as they follow the dark-haired manager down the brightly lit hallway. Mark watches the dull pink and gray tiles pass in the silence as he tries to figure out what to make of the past few hours. The hooded figures face passes through his mind before he glances at the manager in front of them, leading the way with his hands tucked in his pockets and a blank expression. He wonders when it will all begin to make sense, the picture at Doyoung’s apartment and the growing division in Seochu. He’s tempted to ask Jeno or to try to put the picture together with all that he has so far, but Johnny’s words flash through his mind and he figures that patience will grant him all that he needs to know to understand the forgotten city.

When they arrive at 2205, Mark enters the room to find Donghyuck, Taeyong, and Jaemin standing next to the bedside. Jisung was tucked under a thin layer of blankets, eyes closed, chest rising and falling with the beeping of the machine next to his bedside. Next to the blond’s bed was another where the other dark-haired boy was hooked up to even more machines. Mark watches the liquids strain through the IV with a frown.

“ _Oh_ ” A voice gasps and when they look back, the doctor has entered. It’s an older woman with her bleached hair pulled back into a bun, face flushed when she admits, “I wasn’t expecting so many people. It’s not often that the kids here have someone to look after their wellbeing.”

Mark watches as she enters with her clipboard, her words passing with a casualness that confirmed Seochu as the city of abandoned children. Renjun’s eyes grow downcast, Donghyuck frowns, and Jaemin tightens his hold on Jisung’s hand.

“Is he going to be okay?” Taeyong speaks up with a worried look.

“Well, it looks like Mr. Park has been exposed to black mold, which can cause dizziness and fainting spells. Though it seems that a concussion is the actual cause of his lack of consciousness. I imagine he may have hit his head in a scuffle, which might explain the bruises.” The doctor explains before giving them a look, “But I’m no investigator, so I would encourage you all to ask questions an hour or so after he regains consciousness.”

The blonde woman is oblivious to the tension her diagnosis creates. Donghyuck’s jaw clenches and Jeno’s shoulders grow tense at the mention of Jisung being in a fight that they were unaware of. Renjun and Taeyong look worried, Doyoung runs a hand through his hair with a stressed look, and Jaemin ghosts his fingers over the bruises on the blond’s face.

“His friend’s exposure to the mold is much more grave. We’ve estimated months worth of exposure which has caused his lungs to swell significantly in what we call a Pulmonary Edema. We are still running tests, but it is safe to say that he will be facing chest pain and difficulty breathing upon regaining consciousness.” The doctor informs them as she motions to the dark-haired boy unconscious on the opposite bed, “He will be reliant on an oxygen supply for quite some time, but when it is safe, he will be prescribed a diuretic, most likely Lasix to help decrease the pressure caused by the excess fluid building up in his lungs. His immune system appears to be on the weak end of the spectrum, which is not uncommon for the children here. He is also underweight and facing several nutritional deficiencies. We will have to keep a close eye on him and await the test results, but I believe that with time, a proper diet, and medication, he should be on a safe road to recovery.”

“Thank you.” Doyoung tells her quietly.

The doctor smiles in return before scribbling notes on her clipboard. Jaemin and Taeyong are peering down at Jisung, Jeno was behind them holding hands with an anxious-looking Renjun, Doyoung was watching the machines closely, and Mark found himself wandering to the side of Jisung’s dark-haired companion. His face was pale beneath the bright hospital lights and the rise and fall of his chest was faint, almost unnoticeable. Mark isn’t sure what possesses him to, but he reaches out for the other boy only to freeze at the sound of Jaemin’s voice.

“He’s waking up.”

When Mark turns around, Jisung’s eyes are slowly fluttering open.

Taeyong and Jaemin look hopeful as they watch the blond regain consciousness though they miss the way the doctor frowns. The hospital room is silent with anticipation as they watch the younger boy’s eyes open to reveal confused, dark iris.

“…Chenle?” Jisung’s voice is thick with grogginess. He blinks in disorientation at Jaemin who frowns in concern.

“It’s me, Jaemin.” He tells the younger boy gently only to jump in surprise when Jisung sits up suddenly.

“Where’s Chenle?” The blond blurts out as panic sets in to replace disorientation. Mark watches as the younger pushes the covers off quickly, “I have to find Chenle. W-We have to get out of here. We have to-“

“He’s hallucinating.” The doctor informs them, motioning for Mark to close the curtain separating the two beds.

Mark reaches for the curtain, a movement that quickly catches Jisung’s attention. Any signs of sluggishness are long gone when they watch the younger jump from his bed, nearly stumbling over his covers if Jaemin and Taeyong hadn’t reached for the younger’s arms.

“Chenle? Why isn’t he moving?” The blond cries out in panic, struggling against the others. Mark steps out of the way as the doctor closes the curtain, and his heart aches terribly when the blond seems to lose his strength, defeat making him cry out, “Please don’t take Lele away-“

“It’s okay, Jisungie. We’re not taking him away-“ Jaemin tries to rub the younger’s back but the blond jerks away once more, thrashing and kicking the covers in another attempt to escape.

“It might be better if you allow us to calm Mr. Park down.” The doctor tells them as a few nurses come rushing into the room. “Please come back tomorrow.”

An air of hesitance fills the room. It was evident that they didn’t want to leave Jisung behind, but the onslaught of nurses, shouting directions and attempting to coax the blond back into bed, alongside the doctor’s urgent expression is enough to make Doyoung hesitantly usher them out. Mark watches the first tear stream from Jisung’s eyes as the nurses work to restrain him. It’s Donghyuck who blocks Mark’s view, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the room, Jisung's panicked shouting drowning out like a distant nightmare.

_______________________

That evening finds Donghyuck and Mark sitting on the rooftop of the orphanage watching the children play on their scooters and bikes beneath the setting sun. It was rare for Taeyong to let the children play after dinner, but today’s event had exhausted the older man into giving in rather quickly to Soobin’s begging. Donghyuck’s legs are hanging over the edge of the roof and the loud laughter of the kids as they chase each other is enough to bring a small smile to his lips. It’s for the first smile Mark has seen since they’ve left the hospital. He’s sitting beside the other boy, ignoring the ache in his heart whenever their knees brush.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Donghyuck’s voice is quiet and when Mark looks over, the brunet looks remorseful, “It sounds selfish but I don’t want outside influences to cloud your judgment or make you feel like you have to pick a side. I want you to be a part of Seochu, but I want _you_ to be the one to decide if you want to stay. I don’t want you to feel like you owe any of us anything. You didn’t have to stay and help find Jisung. You don’t have to hear Hendery, Ten, or whoever else out, and you don’t have to stay while we fight and try to undo years of damage… I don’t want you to feel trapped.”

“I don’t feel trapped.” Mark tells him, “And I keep coming back because I think that there’s something worth staying in Seochu for.”

“You’re from Seoul.” Donghyuck glances at him with a scoff, “What could be worth staying for here?”

“I’ve met so many amazing people here.” Is Mark’s quiet response as he thinks of the boy beside him and the people of the underground city that he called family. He ignores the warmth that spreads to his face from Donghyuck’s gaze to look down at the street below when he admits, “And there’s one that makes it all worth it.”

In the silence that follows, Mark looks over to find the brunet already staring at him. A small smile is resting on the fighter’s lips and his hand is warm and soft when it comes to rest on the back of Mark’s neck. When they’re this close, Mark can only focus on the erratic beating of his own heart and how he wants to be encased in the light that surrounds it all.

“What are you doing?” A voice shouts and when they look down, Soobin is standing there on his scooter with his siblings behind him, “Don’t be a scaredy-cat Donghyuck hyung! Make a move already!”

Mark freezes at the soft press of Donghyuck’s lips against his cheek. When the fighter pulls back, Mark’s face is flushed, the brunet is smirking, and the crowd behind Soobin erupts in chaos. 

“Attention everyone, the surfacer’s disease has caught Donghyuck hyung and we could be next!” Soobin shouts at his siblings, one hand cupped over his mouth while the other worked to usher his brothers and sisters towards the house, “The only way to save ourselves is to hide in the snack pantry with all of the snacks that our dad Taeyong doesn’t want us to eat! It’s the only way to survive! Hurry, hurry!”

When he finally manages to tear his eyes away from the children, Mark looks over in his embarrassment to find Donghyuck fleeing the scene. The brunet was already on his feet, running away as best as he could without disturbing his ribcage. Mark quickly scrambles to his feet and hurries after him, a sight that makes the fighter laugh loudly when he glances back with a mischievous grin. Donghyuck’s loud laughter makes Mark smile, and as he chases the other boy across the rooftop beneath the setting sun, he knew that the darkness clouding Seochu would not keep him away, not when there was the faintest glint of light that would always be worth returning to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it might be interesting to know a little bit more about Taeil and Taeyong (and the past) + Also, Jisung is back with a friend 
> 
> For Haechan's birthday, I thought I would do something special and update again either before or on that day. I promise it will be much less angsty lol, and not to spoil but if you like certain fighters/characters and pairings in this story, please look forward to it : ) 
> 
> Thank you for reading!! and please stay safe/healthy ♡♡♡


	10. Championship Matches

Mark sighs.

Despite returning to campus early Monday morning, he had managed to make it to his nine A.M. lecture. He spent most of it writing notes that his more alert self would have a hard time trying to decipher before exams. Though class had ended nearly half an hour ago, he’s been standing outside of the science center, staring at his phone screen for the past several minutes. The message screen is blank as he tries to come up with words or muster up enough courage to even hit send when he finally does. A few notifications pop up, but Mark ignores them until a reminder sounds in the form of a siren, reminding him that he had lab in less than an hour. He realizes that he should get something to eat before he’s stuck in a freezing cold room for hours, restricted from eating and forced to listen to his talkative lab partner. Mark sighs, shoving his phone into his pocket before walking in the direction of the nearest café. He’s just barely merged into pedestrian traffic when he spots two familiar faces.

“Ah, what better way to spend the morning than to spend two hours learning about cognitive brain functions.” Jaehyun sighs as he approaches with an empty coffee cup, his messenger bag tossed lazily over his shoulder, and Joy dragging along behind him.

“Try reenacting the entirety of Hamlet without an actual script. Why are theatre professors the devil in ASOS button-downs? The only highlight was when Seungkwan got too carried away with his lines and proceeded to fall down several flights of stairs from the main stage.” Joy says, shivering as she recalls the incident before murmuring, “He really took the ‘ _To be, or not to be?_ ’ thing to the next level.”

“I might actually go to one of the theatre department's productions this semester.” Jaehyun says with an amused grin, making Joy roll her eyes before he turns his attention to Mark, who had returned to staring at the blank message screen, “Is there a reason you’re staring at your phone like a kicked puppy?”

Mark hesitates, feeling his face grow warm when both Jaehyun and Joy stare at him curiously.

“Uh, how long do you usually wait to text someone after you’ve seen them?” He blurts out finally, looking down at the brick walkway to avoid their gazes.

He waits, expecting laughter and teasing, but instead, he’s met with silence that makes him look up to find Jaehyun smiling while Joy simply continued to look curious.

“Is this about Donghyuck?” His cousin asks when they stop at a crosswalk, “That’s so cute. I wish I had someone that made me that nervous.”

“You could if you finally took me up on the offer of a movie and dinner.” Joy tells him, clinging to his arm with a pout.

“Why?” Jaehyun snorts with an amused look, “Are you bringing your cute brother?”

Mark laughs at the way Joy narrows her eyes in response. The light changes and they cross among the mass of students rushing to class, digging through their bags for wallets and student ID’s, reading through notes as they walk, or typing away on their phone. 

“Whatever.” Joy mutters before glancing at Mark, “So, who’s Donghyuck?”

“He’s just a boy…” Is his hesitant reply, “…who’s my friend”

Technically, it wasn’t a lie. He didn’t know what to define his relationship with Donghyuck as. Sure, Mark felt different around him than when he was with his other friends and sometimes, he found himself tracing his fingers over his cheek where the fighter’s lips had once been. But they hadn’t mentioned dating, and Mark can’t guarantee that he won't faint if Donghyuck even hinted at the possibility. But the look Jaehyun gives him and the way Joy frowns tells him that he should brace himself for the option sooner rather than later. 

“So basically, your boyfriend?” Joy concludes finally. When Mark’s eyes widen and he nearly bumps into the person in front of him, she glances at him, “What? Was I not supposed to read between the lines or-“

“I think he’s just shocked that you figured it out so quickly.” Jaehyun explains as he pulls Mark out of the way before his cousin can run into yet another person.

“I guess it’s shocking since you were like the poster boy for the straight community once upon a time. But things change, and sometimes that’s a good thing.” Joy tells Mark with a shrug before she squints over at him, “So, are you gay or bi or what-“

Mark feels himself grow flustered. He knew that what he felt for Donghyuck no longer made him as straight as he once thought he was. But he hadn’t really given much thought to what he would now identify as. He just knew that he wanted to be more comfortable with his new identity so that he could return the fighter’s affections.

“He’s Donghyucksexual.” A voice replies and when Mark looks to his right, Jeno is falling into step beside him with a grin. Mark was surprised to see his cousin was even awake considering Jeno had dropped his only Monday class.

“Does that make you Jaeminsexual?” Jaehyun jokes as they approach the double doors of their favorite café.

It was one of the first places Mark had stumbled upon as a clueless freshman. The food was cheap (something every college student could be thankful for) and good, and the staff seemed to like him. It wasn’t unusual to see Mark rushing in between classes, ordering drinks and pastries between frantic glances at the clock. The man behind the register recognizes him almost immediately, already ringing him up for his usual. Mark motions for him to make it for four people before leading the others to his usual spot, a table in the back near the window. 

“Jaeminsexual? I actually like the sound of that.” Jeno tells Jaehyun with an amused look. He ignores Joy who mutters a quiet _I bet you do_ to tell them with a shrug, “I like people with good hearts who just so happen to be extremely beautiful. What can I say?”

“Well, what you can _do_ is tell us if Donghyuck falls into that category.” Joy says, smirking in a way that made Mark resist the urge to groan.

“Show us a picture!” Jaehyun echoes her thoughts, looking back and forth between Jeno and Mark with an eager smile.

“Yeah, show us a picture.” The girl beside him repeats before glancing at Mark, “I’m curious to know if your taste in men is more attractive than your taste in _other_ genders.”

The table falls silent then as they all turn to stare at her.

“Did you just call all of my ex-girlfriends ugly?” Mark asks though he can’t help but snort out a small, amused laugh.

It was true that he never really concerned himself with looks. When it came to dating, he often found himself more focused on how the other person made him feel. But things with Donghyuck were different. He liked the other boy’s outspokenness and the way he protected the people close to him, but he also found himself getting caught up in the moles on the brunet’s bare skin and the way his dark eyes seemed to reflect a certain brightness. 

“No!” Joy exclaims before looking away casually and blurting out a quick, “I’m just saying that maybe you should consider wearing your glasses more when picking potential life partners-“

“I don’t think he’ll need his glasses for this.” Jeno tells them before sliding his phone across the table to reveal a picture of Donghyuck.

Mark manages to steal a glance before Joy snatches the device into her hands. It was from the night at the Underground Escape. Mark was clearly drunk. His face was flushed red and his expression was somewhat hazy as he stared at Donghyuck. The brunet fighter had an arm slung around him, and Mark noticed that they seemed to be tucked away into their own world in the Underground. There was the flash of strobe lights in the picture and it seemed to illuminate everything that was Donghyuck from his amused smirk at the sight of Mark to messy brunet hair, dark eyes, and soft features. 

“Wow, he’s gorgeous, Minhyung.” Jaehyun breathes out while Joy gives an approving hum before she squints.

“Are those nipple piercings?” She mutters before looking up at Mark with a grin, “Look at you, growing up, studying biology, and dating boys with nipple piercings. I’m so proud.”

“Why does it sound like we’ve traded lives.” Mark jokes making Jaehyun and Jeno snort in amusement while Joy’s grin simply widens.

“Well, I figured out that I actually don’t care about how ATP is made and switched to theatre, which has me so busy that I couldn’t even date a cute boy… or girl, if I wanted to. And you’ve discovered that the life of a heterosexual isn’t so straight after all.” She tells him with a shrug, “But at least you have an attractive boyfriend. It’s like the nerdy biology student meets the dangerous bad boy. It’s cute!”

“It’s also the plot of literally every school-related k-drama known to man.” Jeno mutters only to raise his hands in surrender when Joy and Mark look at him, “No offense.”

The waiter arrives with their order, four blueberry smoothies that he disburses among the table. They thank him with bright smiles. Mark is pushing the straw into his drink when Jaehyun speaks up.

“When are you two returning to the underground?”

“We’re going back to Seochu tonight.” Jeno informs him before taking a sip of his smoothie.

“Okay, just give me five minutes and I can have my bag packed.” Their older cousin tells them.

“I’ll need ten.” Joy adds with an eager look. Mark wouldn’t be surprised if she had been the friend Jaehyun had snuck off to Seochu with that night.

“I meant we as in me and Mark.” Jeno clarifies with an amused look.

“But why can’t we be included?” Jaehyun pouts.

“I want to meet Donghyuck.” Joy says, and Mark resists the urge to shiver at the mention of the fighter’s name. He blames it on the air conditioning in the café, though he can already feel his excitement grow at returning to the underground. 

“And the love of my life could be down there in Seochu!” Jaehyun adds, but Jeno doesn’t look convinced.

“Because you two are a problematic duo, and I don’t have time to save you both from getting your asses kicked.” His cousin explains as if it’s simple.

“Like we need your help Mr. Permanent black eye!” Is Joy’s mock offended response as she crosses her arms over her chest and pouts, “Jaehyun and I are perfectly capable of defending ourselves-“

“She’s right.” Their older cousin nods in agreement.

“In fact, I can show you right now how easy it is to put someone in headlock using Jaehyun as my test dummy-“ Joy continues, reaching over and slinging an arm around the psychology major’s neck.

“She’s rig-“ Jaehyun starts to agree, only for his eyes to widen, “Wait _what_ -“

Before the brunet has a chance to blink, the dark-haired girl has him in a headlock. The café continues its normal interactions with the cashier ringing up orders and students laughing with their friends at tables while others hurry in, pointing out pastries in their rush. Joy leaps on Jaehyun’s back, the brunet stumbling around in an effort to free himself from her grasp. Mark and Jeno exchange a look before standing from the table and grabbing their smoothies, shaking their head as they leave their cousin to fend for himself. 

“This is public bullying!” They can hear him shout.

“You’ve got to work for that blueberry smoothie, Jaehyunie!” Joy shouts in return.

Mark laughs, taking a sip of his smoothie as he follows Jeno outside into the morning sun. He had lab in a few minutes and assignments to complete. But he found that he was no longer dreading the day because his mind was already lost on returning to Seochu and its champion. 

_______________________

“I guess I should just ask what’s on everyone’s mind.”

It’s a little past seven when Mark and Jeno find themselves on the train to Seochu. Mark’s mind is a fog of lectures and assignments. But they did nothing to stop the anxious, excitement making him tap his foot restlessly. He’s leaning his head on his cousin’s shoulder when the other boy speaks up. Mark sits up to look at Jeno, who’s smiling somewhat nervously.

“What’s going on with you and Hyuck?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out.” Mark admits, suddenly too embarrassed to look at his cousin. Instead, he looks down at his lap and waits.

“Well, I’m not here to scare you off because I know you’re still figuring yourself out. But, just be careful, okay?” Jeno tells him quietly, “Hyuck will do anything to protect the people he cares about, but as much as he likes to think he can, he can’t manage it all on his own. Dating a champion is different from dating the average fighter. When Hyuck steps into the room, all eyes are on him, and if you’re with him, all eyes are on you too.”

His cousin’s words seem to die out into a silence in which there is only the bright lights above them and the beating of Mark’s heart when he murmurs –

“I’m not afraid, Jeno.” 

“You shouldn’t be.” The younger replies, “Donghyuck has made it clear to everyone that he doesn’t want you to be dragged into Seochu’s mess. He probably wouldn’t be too happy about me bringing up things that might make you anxious, but I think you deserve to know, just in case you decide it might be too much. Hyuck won’t be upset. I think he’s kind of expecting you to pick up and leave at any minute. That’s just the reputation of surfacers in Seochu. But I don’t know… it looks like he’s getting comfortable, like he has some sort of hope in you, for things to work out.”

“Would it be so bad if things did work out?” Mark asks quietly, and he’s reminded of the night after The Pit, sitting in the same seats with his cousin crying on his shoulder under the bright lights of the subway train.

Jeno had wanted it to be love, whatever he had with Jaemin. Mark just wants whatever he has with Donghyuck to work out.

“It would be one of the best things to happen in Seochu.” His cousin tells him with a small smile that turns somewhat somber, “But not everyone would see it that way… Yukhei and Donghyuck have such a closely intertwined past. It’s just really hard to separate one from the other. For years, when people saw Yukhei, they saw Donghyuck right beside him. To Seochu, they were fighting the same fight. But things are so different now. Yukhei betrayed Hyuck – he broke his heart and that’s not something that I think I can forgive him for… But Donghyuck is different. He’s outspoken and he’s a little bit of a troublemaker, but he has one of the biggest hearts in Seochu. He forgave Yukhei and even protected him by keeping things a secret. They came to the ring as a pair, and people are always going to see them that way. I’m just one of the few people who know better.” 

In the silence that follows, Mark tries to piece together Donghyuck’s misery that night at the Underground Escape, Yukhei’s promise at the orphanage, and the heartbreak and the secrets that seemed to linger between it all. But he knows that he still needs more. He needed to revisit a past that Donghyuck seemed eager to avoid and Yukhei was keen on fixing. It makes him turn to his cousin suddenly as the thought hits him.

“What is he going to do?” He blurts out, watching his cousin closely, “About the match with Yukhei, what is he going to do?”

He watches as the younger’s jaw clenches.

“He’s going to fight him. And I have no doubt in my mind when I say this…” Jeno tells him, eyes shining with determination beneath the bright subway lights when he adds quietly, “He’s going to _win_.”

Mark wants to believe it. So he nods, returning his attention to the window as he places his faith in all the light and warmth Seochu has to offer.

_______________________

The first thing they do when they return to Seochu is visit Jisung in the hospital.

The nurse informs them that the blond had been showing symptoms of a post-traumatic stress disorder while under observation. She warns them not to mention the attack or the molded over apartment, and it makes Mark anxious when he finally enters room 2205. Jeno had excused himself to call Jaemin, so he was left to walk into the room alone. He resists the urge to shiver from the cold and the several machines that beep and sound in the room. The nurse had explained that after Jisung’s begging and crying had lasted well into the night, they had given in and pushed the two boy’s beds together.

Jisung appears to be dozing off when Mark arrives. He’s blinking blearily as he leans back against his pillows, still holding tightly to his friend’s hand. The dark-haired boy’s eyes are closed, and his breathing was even, though he still remained trapped in darkness. Mark swallows thickly at the sight before returning his attention to Jisung. The blond appears to have noticed him. He watches as the younger sits up, exhaustion forgotten when he smiles at Mark –

“Hyung, you’re back!” He exclaims quietly, and Mark is sure that if he wasn’t hooked up to so many machines or afraid of letting go of his friend, he would have jumped out of the bed and hugged him.

“How are you feeling?” He asks, watching as the younger’s expression lights up even more.

“I’m okay. Thanks to you!” Jisung tells him. The younger clears his throat before looking down at his lap, voice muddled with emotion when he adds, “Donghyuck hyung told me that you and Renjun hyung found me and Lele… Thank you. I-I don’t know what else to say but thank you.”

The blond looks up and gives him a smile, eyes glossy in the dim hospital lighting. He knows it’s taking a lot out of the younger to be so vulnerable and open, so he decides to make things light and easy because he knows Jisung needs it.

“Don’t thank me. Just get better so that you can help me with Animal Crossing.” Mark tells the other boy before pouting, “Hyuck said my island was basic.”

It works. Jisung’s smile turns into one of amusement that crinkles his eyes.

“You probably still only have one room in your house.” The blond comments, taking Mark’s silence as confirmation that makes him laugh before shaking his head, “You’ve got to do better, hyung.”

Mark smiles at the way the other boy has perked up. But in the silence that ensues, the blond’s amusement dies out like a flame.

“I’m glad you came, hyung.” Jisung tells him quietly. He squeezes his friends’ hand for comfort that allows him to continue, “When no one is here, I just keep thinking about everything that happened. But I can’t remember it all, at least not in order. The doctor said it had something to do with the mold messing with my memory… I just remember being afraid and that Lele was even more frightened. There were so many people after us… I couldn’t fight them off by myself, so we ran.”

Mark takes in the way Jisung’s hand shakes slightly and the panic growing in his eyes, and he knows he’s running short on time.

“Jisung, who was after you?” He asks, “Was it someone you knew? Or was it random-”

“They were trained. _I’m_ trained and yet they did this to my face.” The blond points to the bruises on his face, panic making his voice rise. He watches as the younger takes a shaky breath before choking out, “They were _fighters_.”

Jisung lets out a shaky breath, clutching the sheets with his free hand. The first tear that slips from his eyes makes Mark’s heart drop. He reaches out to comfort the younger only to be startled by the presence of the nurse in the doorway.

“It’s time for Mr. Park to rest.” She tells him with a smile that seemed more odd than comforting, “We’ve put him on a set sleeping schedule so he’s growing a bit agitated now that it’s being disturbed. I hate to cut this visit short, but it is time for him to take his medication and rest so that he can calm down. You understand, yes? Perhaps you should come back tomorrow.”

Mark wants to protest. The thought of leaving Jisung didn’t sit right with him. The blond looked afraid and the way his shoulders seemed to shake with each sob made his heart ache. Clearly, Jisung needed comfort, not medicine. But the way the nurse stares him down, as if prepared to call security at the first sign of disagreement, let’s Mark know that there’s no use.

“We’ll come back tomorrow, Jisungie.” He tells Jisung quietly, grabbing the younger’s free hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, “I promise.”

Despite the sobs that make his shaking worse, Jisung nods. Mark is reluctant to let go of the younger’s hand, but the nurse clears her throat and steps aside in the doorway, encouraging his exit. Slowly, Mark removes his hand from Jisung’s. His throat tightens and the ache in his heart makes him breathless when he turns away from the younger to leave. In the doorway, the nurse gives him another strange smile before he finds himself standing in the hallway, listening to the door close behind him.

“What happened?”

When he looks over, Jeno is approaching with his phone in his hand as if he’s just ended his call.

“The nurse asked us to come back tomorrow.” Mark informs him with a frown, “Jeno, this is the second time we’ve been kicked out of this hospital.”

“I know.” Jeno tells him, and Mark raises a brow in response. The younger looks down both ends of the hallway before slinging an arm over his cousin and pulling him close, leading him towards the elevator as he quietly voices his thoughts, “I have a feeling it has something to do with Jisung’s friend. Seochu’s hospital is nothing like Seoul’s. They mostly cater to the fighting ring, anything outside of that is considered secondary. They’re at the mercy of the fighting ring just like everything else, that means the staff and the people managing them all answer to the CEOs of the ring. The goal is to keep as many fighters alive and functioning so that the ring and Seochu can make money, which is why they keep a close eye on any fighter that ends up on one of their stretchers.”

“So, they’re watching Jisung?” Mark frowns, watching as Jeno shakes his head.

“Jisung’s only been in one fight. He hasn’t really started to make a name for himself in the ring yet.” His cousin replies as they approach the elevator. He presses the button and the doors open seconds later. Mark follows the younger inside the double doors where Jeno presses another button for the first floor, waiting for the doors to close once more before he turns to him and answers finally, “It’s his friend that they’re watching. I have a feeling that once he regains consciousness they’re going to be separated and we’ll never see that kid again. I’ve never seen him in the ring before and he’s so small that I don’t think he could handle anything like it, so I doubt he’s a fighter. But whoever he is, he has some sort of connection with Seochu and the ring.”

Mark thinks back to the dark-haired boy, thin, frail, and unresponsive. His mind wanders to the molded over apartment, Jisung’s bruises, and the panic in the blond’s eyes at the possibility of being separated from his friend and the mention of his attackers. The gap in between it all makes him nervous.

“What should we do?” He asks quietly.

“We keep it to ourselves.” Jeno answers. The elevator doors open, and the pair step out, ignoring the gaze of the woman behind the front desk as they make their way out of the hospital’s double doors. As soon as they step out into the night, Jeno breathes out a sigh of relief before glancing at Mark, “Nana and Renjun will freak out, Doyoung hyung will start asking questions, and Donghyuck will refuse his next fight until Jisung and his friend are released. I know it’s confusing and scary, but it’s best if we just wait. We don’t want to arouse their suspicions too much or they’ll separate them. One wrong move and Jisung’s friend could be gone for good.”

Jeno’s phone vibrates and he digs it out while Mark struggles with the hollow feeling tugging at him. He wanted to return to room 2205, to hold Jisung’s hand and tell him to hang on while they figured things out. He wonders if everything in Seochu leads back to the ring. What hadn’t been corrupted by money and greed? Even the hospital, a place for healing and recovery, was dark with clouds of underhandedness and deception. He finds it ironic and if he wasn’t so overwhelmed, he would have laughed. Instead, he breathes in the cold air of the night and shivers.

“That was Renjun.” His cousin’s voice returns his attention to reality, “He says to hurry up. We’re late.”

“Late?” Mark repeats, brow raised questioningly.

“Ah, hyung. I forgot to tell you.” Jeno tells him, rubbing at the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, “Tonight is the annual championship celebration. Everyone comes together, the betters, fans, even everyday people, and sometimes, a few of the CEO’s, to celebrate the old champions and the new nominees. It’s kind of a really big deal in the underground and Hyuck really wants you to come…kind of like his date-“

“ _Date_?” Mark blurts out, ignoring the looks he receives from people passing by.

“Relax, hyung. It’s normal for fighters to bring a plus one. I used to be Jaemin’s plus one, but now we’re both fighters. So, I put Renjunie down as my plus one. Sometimes it just means that they’re your friend and you’re helping them get in. But sometimes it means something else, like with Doyoung hyung. Jungwoo was always his plus one and it didn’t take long for everyone to realize they were together.” Jeno explains with a shrug. When Mark’s apprehensive expression remains, he laughs before placing his hands on the older boy’s shoulders gently, “Listen, Donghyuck is always following your lead. If you want something to happen, it will. If you don’t and you feel uncomfortable or unsure, Hyuck won’t hesitate to step in… and I can kind of already told him you were coming-“

“Jeno!” Mark exclaims, making his cousin raise his hands in surrender.

“What? Don’t act like you don’t want to see him too.” The dark-haired boy replies with a grin.

It was hard to deny that the thought of seeing the fighter had gotten him through a tiring day of classes and assignments. He didn’t want to leave Seochu without seeing Donghyuck, and he knew that denying it meant lying to himself. He was trying to do better about accepting the feelings he had developed for the fighter, so he ignores the burning of his cheeks and the excitement that made his chest tighten with nerves to respond.

“Fine, I’ll go.” He sighs, watching as his cousin’s grin deepens. 

“I didn’t even beg yet-“

“Jeno!”

“Okay, okay! Let’s go.” 

_______________________

Mark shifts nervously, staring at the building before him.

The annual championship night was held at Seochu’s City Hall. Mark wasn’t expecting the underground to have such an establishment, but the building before him is proof of the fighting ring’s success. The taxi driver informed him that the City Hall was a rebuilt mansion previously owned by the fighting ring’s owner. It’s the biggest building in the city (next to the arena) with high walls and a fine, ivory build. Some of the most expensive cars are parked out front, and among them is a limousine that catches Mark’s eye alongside the group of men headed towards it. They wore black jackets, their faces were blanked, and they seemed to be surrounding the older man upfront. Mark takes in the man’s neatly styled dark hair, expensive suit, and his stoic expression, and he wonders his significance in the underground.

“That’s one of the rings top investors.” Jeno speaks up, “In the case that the ring doesn’t get passed down to the current owners’ children, it would go to him. He’s the second richest man in Seochu, and he’s not even from here.”

“He’s a surfacer?” Mark blurts out before he can stop himself.

Jeno slaps a hand over his mouth, looking around nervously before he nods.

“But he’s not from Seoul. I’m actually surprised to see him. He’s never shown his face here before. I wonder what made tonight different…” The younger answers finally, removing his hand from the older boy’s mouth with a frown, “Rumors say that he has a family on the surface, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he neglected them. He’s dedicated his life to milking the fighting ring of everything that it has. He’s the reason that Donghyuck and so many others still get into the ring when they’re injured.”

When Mark looks at him curiously, Jeno hesitates.

“His favorite fighter is Johnny hyung.” The younger admits finally, voice quiet as he continues, “Johnny hyung got really injured just before the championships. His manager tried to withdraw and forfeit the match, but that man showed up to the ring personally with a demand. Get in the ring and fight or give up the chance to ever fight again. And fighting is the only chance at something better so Johnny hyung gave in. He fought his championship match. He got a concussion and I’m pretty sure his heart stopped for a moment. But he won, the ring made millions, and that’s all that matters in Seochu.”

Mark glances at the older man. The cold set to his dark eyes makes him shiver. He watches at the men rush to open the door to the limousine. The man climbs inside, pausing to look at the City Hall. The dark-haired smirks, shaking his head before one of his men closes the door and the limousine pulls off into the nighttime traffic.

“Relax, nothing bad is going to happen.” Jeno tells him, returning Mark’s attention to the double doors that they were approaching. His cousin gives him an assuring smile, “This might be a night to celebrate years of fighting, but believe it or not, an actual fight has never broken out on championship night. It’s kind of like a sign of peace between the champions, that they all have shared the same struggles and they’re ready to pass the torch on to someone else… whoever that may be.”

Mark nods, swallowing nervously as he and his cousin approach the two bouncers standing in front of the entrance. He had received weird looks at night clubs and even disdainful glances from the ticket master at the arena as if they could spot his status as a surfacer from a mile away. It had made him nervous about attending tonight’s celebration but Jeno seemed to have already thought things through. They had made a quick trip to the apartment where his cousin had dressed him up in a mixture of his and Donghyuck’s clothes, forced him to sit still while he did his eyeliner, and even convinced Mark to let him dye small, blond streaks in his hair. Mark is a little concerned at how convincing Jeno can be, but he also wants to know what it’s like to just fit in for one night. So, he does his best not to look as anxious as he feels as he stands there. The bouncers look him over, taking in the white t-shirt tucked into his black, ripped jeans, the chains around his neck, and his hazy eyeliner. But it’s the jacket that Jeno had wrapped around his shoulders before they left the apartment that seems to truly catch their eyes. Mark shrinks into the bright gold bomber jacket nervously. Beside him, Jeno stood in a black bomber jacket with silver sleeves. But unlike Jeno’s, Mark’s jacket had roman numerals whose meaning he didn’t understand sewn on the left side. The bouncers stare at the jacket with an intensity that makes Mark worried that he might be turned away. But when Jeno clears his throat, they snap out of their dazes and quickly step aside.

“Have a nice night.” One of them blurts out as they open the double doors.

“Thanks-“ Mark attempts to smile but Jeno is already pulling him inside. 

“It actually worked.” Jeno mutters with a laugh of disbelief.

Mark figures that his cousin is talking about his drastic change in appearance, so he simply shakes his head before turning his attention to the City Hall. The inside is even more massive with marble floors, a balcony, statues, and paintings that remind him of Ten’s mansion, and chandeliers. The walls were covered in pictures of fighters. Mark squints at one only to smile at the sight of Johnny standing beside the ring with Doyoung, both holding their championship medals. The room seemed to be split in half, one end covered in strobe lights with a packed dance floor and DJ booth while the other end catered to the bar where people could be seen laughing, talking, eating, and smoking cigarettes. Mark feels overwhelmed when his cousin grabs his hands and pulls him along through it all. They maneuver their way through the packed crowd though most people take one glance at Mark’s jacket and step aside while others stare at him curiously. By the time they arrive at the bar, he’s tempted to take it off. But he finds relief in Jaemin’s smiling face. The brunet is mixing drinks behind the bar in the same jacket as Jeno. When he spots them, he takes one look at Mark’s jacket and laughs.

“Is that Hyuck’s jacket?” He asks with an amused grin.

“Jeno!” Mark exclaims, turning to his cousin to hiss a quiet, “You didn’t tell me this was his jacket.”

“But it worked.” Jeno tells him, “You got inside, and you’ll be safe with it on.”

“He’s right. No one’s going to mess you with a championship jacket on.” Jaemin agrees as he slices a lemon.

“And it wouldn’t be a bad thing if you two really were dating each other.” Jeno adds with a grin, “Then you could go on double dates with me and Nana.”

“We don’t go on dates.” Jaemin snorts, though the bright red flush to his ears told Mark otherwise.

“Really?” Jeno replies, smirking as he leans on the bar, closer to the brunet, “If they’re not dates then why do you always kiss me after they’re over-“

Mark laughs loudly when Jaemin shoves a lemon in his cousin’s mouth, effectively silencing him.

“Would you like some Gin to finish your tonic, Jeno?” Jaemin asks as he holds up the bottle of alcohol. Jeno spits out the lemon and swallows around the bitter taste before shaking his head no. Jaemin smiles sweetly at the sight, “Good. Now sit down and enjoy your lemon or I’ll revoke your kissing rights for good.”

Jeno’s eyes widen and he quickly pulls out a stool, silently motioning for Mark to do the same. Jaemin smirks and Mark shakes his head at the interaction. He’s just pulled out his own stool when a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” A familiar voice says before a head rests on his shoulder, “You look quite exquisite tonight, surface boy.”

“Renjun, what the hell are you wearing?” Jeno is the first to speak up. 

“And who still says ‘quite exquisite?’” Jaemin scoffs at the brunet, “I thought you said you were going to the bathroom, not the 1920s.”

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” Renjun pouts, stepping back and giving Mark the chance to raise his eyebrow as well. The brunet was wearing black jeans, ripped at the knees with a leather jacket wrapped around his waist. But it was the mesh shirt that made Mark squint at the gold snake head piercings. Briefly, Mark wonders if the other boy has pierced his nipples until he sees that they’re taped to the shirt. The brunet’s hair is wild and messy, his eyeliner is hazy, and the only thing missing is the scent of vanilla.

“Well, what’s _not_ wrong with it-“ Jeno snorts only to flinch when Jaemin picks up another lemon slice. The dark-haired boy swallows thickly before quickly backtracking, “I-I meant you look nice, Renjun. Amazing. Spectacular! Gordon Ramsay could never.”

“Thanks, Jeno.” Renjun grins before stepping forward and looking toward the bright lights as he dramatically declares, “That's one small step for Huang Renjun, one giant leap for ending the culinary manifesto.”

“Are you supposed to be Donghyuck?” Mark asks with an amused look.

“He said he was going to late so I thought I would be his doppelganger in the meantime.” Renjun nods, motioning to his appearance eagerly, “So, how’d I do?”

“Literally, the only thing you’ve done is change clothes-“ Jeno speaks up again, distress evident in his tone. All it takes is for Jaemin to lift the lemon slice for the dark-haired fighter to let out a frightened shriek before jumping out of his stool to hide underneath the bar.

“As powerful as it is watching Jaemin bring Jeno to his cowardly knees, we should get going.” Renjun says, wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck and pulling him close, “Come on, surface boy. Let’s go stare dramatically into each other’s eyes and not do anything about the tension that builds up between us.”

Mark snorts out a laugh at the other boy’s words, prepared to go along with the brunet’s antics when another voice speaks up.

“And here I thought you might want to stay and have a drink with me.”

When Mark looks over, Xiaojun is approaching with a small smile. He takes in the brunet’s black jacket with red sleeves and white stripes, and he realizes then that everyone seems to be under a different dress code. Behind Xiaojun, Yangyang is wearing the same black jacket with silver sleeves as Jaemin and Jeno, though his is stained with sauce as he helps himself to a plate of grilled meat.

“Um, actually I have to go check the sinks in the bathroom to make sure they’re working.” Renjun blurts out, shoving his way through the crowd with a desperate, “Excuse me”

Mark shakes his head as he watches the brunet go.

“I don’t think he likes me.” Xiaojun says with a frown.

“I think it’s the exact opposite.” Jeno calls out from his hiding spot.

Xiaojun tilts his head in confusion at the dark-haired boy tucked beneath the bar before he shakes his head as if he’s used to the chaos. He simply turns his attention to Mark.

“I see you’re back in Seochu.” He says, glancing at the gold jacket with a small smile, “And you’re making a statement. I like it.”

Mark feels his face grow warm and he can see Jaemin smirking at Xiaojun’s implications. But he knows better than to deny anything, so he simply changes the subject.

“Where’s Hendery?” He asks because it was unusual not to see him, Ten, Kun, or Yukhei at such an important event.

“He’s still at the estate listening to the mad man’s hour-long pep talk.” Xiaojun informs them, rolling his eyes as he refers to Ten, “I couldn’t be bothered to listen to whatever he’s ranting about this time and Yangyang got hungry so Kun sent us here ahead of everyone else.”

“I’m out of food.” Yangyang says suddenly. He waves his empty plate in front of Xiaojun with a pout, “I need more meat.”

“You do realize this wouldn’t be an issue if you slowed down in between plates, right?” Xiaojun tells him, only to be ignored by Yangyang who mutters a whatever before grabbing the brunet’s hand and pulling him along. Xiaojun sighs in surrender, waving at Mark as he’s pulled back into the crowd, “See you around!”

Mark waves back before sitting down on his stool. He shrugs the jacket from his shoulders, placing it in his lap before Jaemin slides a shot towards him. He picks it up, raising it against the shot the brunet is holding out for a toast.

“To the new Mark Lee who looks really cute with highlights.” Jaemin says, clinking his glass against Mark’s before downing the shot in one go.

“I think I might actually fit in now.” Mark tells him with a grin that quickly fades away when he downs his own shot. He grimaces at the strong, bitter taste and reminds himself not to accept drinks from the other boy again. 

“You’ve always fit in.” Jaemin tells him with a small smile, “You’re different but that’s what makes you perfect for Seochu. It’s like a puzzle. You try so many pieces before something fits. The missing puzzle piece was you, and now everything’s complete.”

Mark isn’t sure if it’s the burn from the alcohol or the sentiment in Jaemin’s words that make him choke up. But he knows that he no longer has to question his place in Seochu. He wants to thank the other boy, to say that he’s happy not to be the outcast. But he struggles to come up with the words and Jaemin seems to understand because he smiles before returning to cutting his lemons. Mark glances at the gold jacket in his lap, he wraps his arms around it and holds it close.

“-just saying that if he has the resources to make changes, he shouldn’t hesitate to do it.” A familiar voice says and when he glances back, he spots Johnny. He seemed to be trailing after a familiar dark-haired man, who’s arm he grabs to turn around and face him, “Seriously Sicheng, what’s stopping him from making things better?”

“It’s not as easy as pulling out millions of dollars and demanding things be fixed overnight.” The man replies, snatching his arm away, “The ring is a system, and a system can’t be changed overnight. So if you’ll excuse me-“

The moment that Mark squints, he recognizes the dark-haired man, Sicheng, as the one from Yukhei’s Saturday practice session. Sicheng and Johnny were wearing gold jackets similar to the one in Mark’s lap, though a gold medal seemed to be hanging from the two older male’s sleeves.

“We’re not done talking, Sicheng.” Johnny says, reaching out to grab the other man only to have his arm smacked away by the dark-haired man.

“I’ve already ended the conversation, _Johnny_.” Sicheng replies, clearly exasperated, though it did nothing to stop Johnny from following or people in the crowd from turning to look at them.

Following the two bickering men was the receptionist that Mark recognized from Taeil’s clinic as Yuta. The light-haired man is wearing a white jacket with red stripes, sipping on a drink with an expression that said he was accustomed to the sight of the two bickering champions. As if sensing Mark’s gaze, he glances at the bar, only for his eyes to brighten. Yuta waves enthusiastically, though it was clear that he was trying to keep up with Sicheng. Mark waves back, face flushed, a sight that makes Yuta smile and wink before he disappears into the crowd behind Sicheng and Johnny.

“Got to love the annual champion argument at the annual championship celebration.” A voice says before Doyoung appears with Jungwoo clinging to his arm. The dark-haired man is wearing a gold jacket, the gold medallion pinned to his left arm catching Mark’s attention. He pulls out a stool for Jungwoo at the bar, the red-haired man’s white jacket and red sleeves are bright beneath the chandelier lights. Finally, he slides onto his own stool with a sigh, “The good news is that everyone might actually leave with their noses intact.”

“You hear that Mark?” Jungwoo smiles brightly, “We get to keep our noses!”

Mark shakes his head at the redhead, but he couldn’t help but smile. For someone who was surrounded by bloody, bruised people all day, he found Jungwoo to be bright and cute. Jeno chooses that same moment to come rushing from beneath the bar, making Doyoung jump in shock when the younger grabs the back of his jacket with a frantic expression. 

“Hyung! Hyung! Thank God you’re here.” Jeno rambles, “I almost died. The lemons, they’re everywhere. I’m under attack by the citrusy god of death himself-”

“What’s wrong with him?” Doyoung turns to Jungwoo.

“It looks like he’s traumatized.” The EMT replies, squinting at Jeno with concern.

“He’s fine.” Jaemin tells them, glancing at the dark-haired boy with a sweet smile that Mark has now come to know hides lemony threats, “Right, Jeno?”

Mark watches as his cousin nods, quickly detaching himself from his managers.

“R-Right. I am not being threatened by the person behind the bar or anything.” Jeno says, dragging himself back to his own chair, where he sits and mutters shakily, “I am perfectly fine and not in any immediate danger.”

“Well, that’s good.” Doyoung tells him, “I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself, Jeno.”

When the manager turns his attention elsewhere, Mark takes in the way Jeno’s eye twitches and Jaemin smirks. 

“How about some drinks?” The brunet suggests. He slides three glasses of brown liquor towards Mark, Jungwoo, and Doyoung before presenting a glass of water with a lemon wedge to Jeno. The dark-haired boy shivers at the sight of the lemon, wrapping his arms around himself and murmuring that he never knew there was a foe more powerful than Gordon Ramsay.

“Taeil said that he told you about his and Taeyong’s story.” Doyoung speaks up, glancing at Mark with a small smile, “I’m glad you got to hear something positive. Not every relationship in Seochu has a complicated history, and things can work out in the end.”

“I’m glad he told me, but I want to know more.” Mark replies before leaning closer with a curious look, “How did you meet Jungwoo, hyung?”

“You’re going to be a Seochu encyclopedia when all of this is over.” Doyoung shakes his head before hesitating, “It’s probably not as romantic as Taeil and Taeyong’s-“

“Are you kidding me? I love this story!” Jungwoo exclaims, pushing the dark-haired man from his stool and hopping on with a bright smile, “Let me tell it.”

While Doyoung recovers from having his seat stolen, the redhead clears his throat.

“I was sixteen when I saw my first match. My friend dragged me to the ring. He said I had to see this one fighter, his punches cracked teeth and he almost never lost a fight. It was the first night I saw Doyoung hyung, and I was fascinated. I don’t think I ever took my eyes off of him during the match. It was clear that he put his all into every move, and I quickly became a fan. When my friend said we should try to meet Doyoung after the match, I agreed. We waited outside of the arena, trying to figure out what we were going to say for what felt like hours before he showed up with Johnny. But he looked so tired and he had sprained his wrist in the match, so we decided not to bother him.” Jungwoo explains, while Doyoung, too embarrassed to sit down again, simply buries his face in the back of the red head’s neck. “After that, I kept coming to the matches. There was something about the way the crowd would cheer each time that he won that made me stay. It was like they really believed in him, like he gave them so much hope. I felt it as well, so I watched him take on championships. But I noticed that the further people progressed, the worse their injuries became. I was curious about the bruised knuckles and bloody noses, so I started reading first aid books on the weekends.”

Mark glances at the red head’s white jacket and he thinks it’s a fitting role for Jungwoo, a gentle touch to soften the harsh edges of Seochu.

“Doyoung became the champion, and I didn’t see him for two years because of it. When I turned eighteen, I immediately started training to become an EMT with the hopes of providing aid to the ring. I was only a few months into my training when I got into an argument with my boyfriend at the time and he started throwing me and my things out. I was close to giving up because I was stressed out with the training program and I had nowhere else to go. But Doyoung hyung saved me!” Jungwoo exclaims with a bright smile, “I wasn’t expecting anyone to step in, but he just came out of nowhere and I was shocked because the last time I saw him, he was being named a champion and then he disappeared for two years. But there he was, asking me if I was okay and offering to help. After explaining everything, I watched him storm the five-story building, kick my boyfriend’s ass until he apologized and help me get my things back in just a few minutes! But that wasn’t it either. He took me to his side of town and got me the apartment across from his. He told me that I could stay there for as long as I wanted and that anything I needed, he would get for me. Having warm water, a working tv, and Doyoung’s kind patience felt like a dream.”

Mark watches Doyoung pull back to stare at Jungwoo, eyes holding a certain softness that he’s never seen from the manager before.

“I wasn’t used to living alone, so I was always found myself across the hall at Doyoung’s, even when he wasn’t home. He was trying to make a name for himself in managing and I was busy finishing up my EMT training. But the time we spent together meant the world to me. We would stay up all night talking and fall asleep on the couch. When I woke up, he was always there with a cup of coffee and a smile. When I had to stay up late to study, he was right there with me. And when I was feeling more stressed than usual, he would surprise me with flowers or dinner. I didn’t feel lonely anymore and I never thought about giving up again. When I passed my examination and became certified, Doyoung threw a surprise party for me. It seemed unreal that I had gotten so far, and I had never been celebrated like that. It made me cry, but they were happy tears.” The redhead tells him before a smile forms on his lips, radiating the same warmth and happiness as his words, “I realized that I had fallen that same night. The year before that I was being kicked out of my apartment, on the verge of giving up. Then, it was almost as if I blinked and I was achieving my dream, and it was because Doyoung was beside me, encouraging me every step of the way, that I even got so far in the first place. Love can be like that, silent and patient. My little sixteen-year-old crush had developed into something more, and I was happy to see that my feelings were returned. There was no confession or anything like that, things just happened over time. Doyoung’s apartment became filled with my things until I eventually gave up the apartment next door and moved in. I still come home to flowers and Doyoung trying to make me dinner, which really means him struggling not to burn down our apartment. But for me, it’s _perfect_.”

Jungwoo wraps an arm around Doyoung and nuzzles his cheek while the manager pretends to be annoyed with him, though Mark couldn’t help but notice the red tint to his ears or the way he smiled when he thought the redhead wasn’t looking.

“So sweet” Jaemin sniffles from behind the bar before pouting and muttering about wanting someone to like him that much, completely missing the look Jeno gives him in the process.

“So, there are happy endings in Seochu.” Mark notes with a small smile.

“Things can work out if you know what you want and where your heart is.” Doyoung tells him, glancing at Jungwoo with a look that said he had probably noticed the boy cheering him on in the crowd all those years ago.

The sight makes Mark trace his fingers over the smooth materials of the jacket in his lap with a distant ache. He decides to drown his longing in alcohol. Jaemin keeps a constant stream of drinks in front of them. After an entire bottle and shots with Jungwoo, Mark feels himself grow lightheaded. His face is warm, and he can’t stop laughing at everything Jungwoo says, even when the EMT asks if he’s okay. But even in his tipsy state, Mark can feel the longing pulling at him, making him clutch the jacket like a lifeline. He’s saved by Jeno who jumps from his stool suddenly, pulling Mark by the back of his shirt.

“We need to go outside, _now_.” His cousin whispers, “Jaehyun hyung just texted me and he’s outside.”

Mark drops the shot in his hands, jumping down from his stool to follow his cousin into the crowd.

“How did he know we were here?” He asks, clinging to Jeno’s back so that he doesn’t get lost as they make their way towards the entrance.

“Everyone is either here or wishing they were. Knowing Jaehyun hyung, he probably got down here and asked around.” Jeno tells him.

It made sense. Jaehyun was never one for staying put. His tendency to wander and do what he wanted had influenced Jeno’s own rebelliousness. Mark found comfort in knowing that his cousin wasn’t easily frightened, and he had ventured to Seochu before. He was familiar with the underground city, in all of its grime and grit, which is why Mark isn’t surprised when they walk out of the double doors to find there cousin standing there with a bored expression as he waited, as if he simply belonged.

“There you are!” Jaehyun ushers them over with a smile, “Joy had to work, so it’s just me tonight. So, what is this? Is it like a party or-“

“It’s a place you’re not supposed to be at, hyung.” Jeno tells him, but their older cousin simply waves him off.

“Actually, the number of cute guys that I’ve seen tells me that I’m right where I’m supposed to be, and I could see more but the mean bouncers won’t let me in.” Jaehyun says before sticking his tongue out at the bouncers, who snort at him in return. The brunet pouts before squinting at Mark, “You look different, Minhyung. Are those highlights?”

“D-Does it look okay?” Mark asks, running his fingers through his hair with a nervous look.

“You look like it’s not too late for you and Jeno to start your infamous biker gang.” His cousin tells him with an amused grin that reveals his dimples. The brunet gives him an affectionate look before his eyes widen, “It’s him!”

“What’s wrong?” Jeno asks with a confused look when Jaehyun ducks down as if it will somehow improve his chances of not being spotted.

“It’s the guy I told you about, the one I met that night in Seochu.” The older boy tells them quietly, gesturing in a direction that Mark and Jeno quickly follow.

Standing near a curb is Johnny, looking somewhat dejected. Sicheng and Yuta were nowhere in sight, and Mark figures that the two departed after the argument. Johnny’s gold championship jacket is bright, even in the dark Seochu night, and the gold medallion on his arm reflects beneath the streetlight when he runs a hand through his hair. As if sensing their gaze, he pauses and turns around suddenly. His eyes light up with recognition for Jeno and Mark, but the sight of Jaehyun makes him frown before he starts to make his way towards them.

“He’s coming this way! Do I look okay?” Jaehyun blurts out with a sudden nervousness that Mark has never seen from his cousin, “What do I say?”

“How about ‘hi’” Jeno suggests with an amused look.

“That’s boring.” Jaehyun tells him quickly, “I need something exciting.”

“You could always tell him about the time you got busted for stealing ramen from the convenience store.” Mark offers making Jeno laugh.

“What part of broke college student is not clicking for you Lee Minhyung-“ Jaehyun says, reaching over and pinching Mark’s ear. He scolds the dark-haired boy as he pinches, only releasing him when Johnny is before them. Mark stumbles back, cradling his bright red ear with a dizzy look, making Johnny glance at him in concern before Jaehyun clears his throat and practically shouts, “Hi!”

Johnny almost jumps at the volume of his voice and Jeno just barely holds back his laughter at the sight.

“Hi” The champion replies much more quietly, “Is everything okay over here?”

“They would be if the mean bouncers would let me in.” Jaehyun tells him, giving the bouncers another look that they pointedly ignore. Johnny looks amused by his boldness.

“Jaehyun hyung, this is Johnny hyung, our trainer.” Jeno introduces before motioning to Jaehyun, “Johnny hyung, this is Jaehyun hyung, our cousin who definitely doesn’t have a charge for stealing noodles from the convenience store.”

Jaehyun smiles sweetly despite Jeno’s introduction, Johnny raises a brow, and Mark points at a streetlight for no reason in his tipsy haze.

“Well, how about a round of drinks on me to make up for the mean bouncers?” Johnny suggests with a small smile.

“I love free drinks.” Jaehyun accepts eagerly making Jeno look at him.

“You love free anything.” The younger says, grabbing Mark’s hand to prevent him from pointing at the streetlight any longer. 

“Except free annoying baby cousins.” Jaehyun narrows his eyes at Jeno before turning to Johnny, “So, about those drinks…”

“Sure, let’s go.” The trainer says, and even Jeno looks surprised when he grabs Jaehyun’s hands before turning to lead them to the entrance.

The gesture makes Jaehyun smile, and he forgets to stick his tongue out again at the bouncers who let him pass without any issue at the sight of Johnny. Mark follows Jeno back inside in a slight haze. They’re a bit further behind the couple, so they miss the way Johnny turns to Jaehyun and smirks suddenly.

“Just so you know, I never forget a face.” The former champion tells Jaehyun with a small, knowing smile, “It’s nice to see you in Seochu again, and hope your alcohol tolerance hasn’t changed because we have even more people to outdrink tonight.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widen at the brunet’s words before he smiles, grabbing the trainer’s hand and pulling towards the bar, Johnny grinning at him beneath the bright lights. Jeno shakes his head before trailing after them, and Mark is prepared to follow only to pause in his footsteps. Before he knows it, he finds himself walking towards the dance floor. His mind is a blurry haze that has him wandering through the crowd. The neon lights are much dimmer, obscuring faces into flashes of dark blue. Mark simply stands there in a haze, clutching the jacket to his chest as he tries to make sense of his new surroundings.

“What are you doing, surface boy?” An arm wraps around his waist and he finds himself being pulled close to a chest.

“I thought we were supposed to be staring dramatically into each other’s eyes?” He replies because he thinks its Renjun again, posing as Donghyuck’s doppelganger.

“That’s weird, but whatever you want, Mark Lee.” He hears followed by a scoff.

When Mark feels himself be turned around gently, he’s expecting to see Renjun with his mesh top and taped piercings. Instead, he blinks at the sight of wild curls, soft, bare skin, and dark eyes that watch him closely. Donghyuck stands there in dark, ripped jeans wearing the same white shirt as Mark. The fighter runs his fingers over the blond streaks in Mark’s hair before the jacket in the older boy’s hands catches his attention. Donghyuck smirks at the sight of Mark clutching his jacket like a lifeline.

“D-Donghyuck” Mark blurts out, and it seems to snap the fighter out of his daze. He grabs Mark’s hand and pulls him along through the crowd, making the dark-haired boy shout over the music, “Where are we going?”

Donghyuck pulls him closer, wrapping an arm around Mark’s neck to whisper in his ear.

“Somewhere we can be ourselves.”

Mark feels lightheaded but it’s no longer from the heat. He walks through the crowd, making out the haze of smiling faces that stare at Donghyuck enthusiastically before glancing at him curiously. He grips the arm the fighter has slung around his neck for comfort. Eventually, the music becomes a distant echo and the dark blue lighting has faded to black. But Donghyuck is there, leading them to a door in a nearby corner. He pushes it open and the moment they step inside, their skin is bathed in a dark, neon red from a sole light bulb illuminating the hallway. As soon as the door closes behind them, the fighter is upon him. A drunk giggle escapes Mark when his back hits the wall and then the brunet is there, invading his space. He reaches out and touches the softness of Donghyuck’s face, tracing his fingers over where he’s memorized the small moles on the other boy’s skin.

“Shouldn’t we be dramatically staring into each other’s eyes?” Donghyuck reminds him with a teasing smirk. Mark hesitates, swallowing thickly before slowly looking up to meet dark eyes. He watches the fighter’s smirk fade into something familiar A strong sense of longing makes Donghyuck reach over and grip the back of his neck, breathing out a quiet, “You’re going to drive me crazy.”

The fighter leans forward only to hesitate, and that’s when Mark remembers Jeno’s words. He was in control. The other boy wasn’t going to make the first move, not when Mark was somewhat tipsy and hadn’t given the brunet his permission. But Mark knows that the warm threatening to overwhelm him isn’t from the alcohol. So, he tilts his head and closes the distance. He can hear the fighter’s breath hitch just before he presses his lips against the brunet’s. Donghyuck’s lips are soft, and they taste like his watermelon lip balm. Mark slips his eyes closed, cupping the other boy’s face gently. The warmth that radiates from the other boy encases him, making him feel lightheaded. Donghyuck’s curls tickle his face and the fingers caressing the back of Mark’s neck are soft. Slowly, he pulls away, resting his forehead against the fighter’s. When his eyes slip open, Donghyuck is staring at him. Mark smiles, a little hazy, but mostly delirious and overwhelmed. Donghyuck’s eyes soften at the sight. He reaches down and grabs Mark’s hand, clammy fingers interlocking in a hold that makes the dark-haired boy’s chest tighten with affection.

The music had long since faded to a dull echo, forgotten by the pair, so it’s loud banging that makes both boys jump. Mark nearly bumps his head against the fighter’s, the noise making his heart race. Donghyuck steps back quickly, glancing at the door. The noise was coming from the other side, and when they stop to listen, Mark recognizes it as the sound of glass shattering. He looks over at Donghyuck just as the other boy releases his hand to storm down the hallway. Mark doesn’t hesitate to follow. He trails after Donghyuck through the door only for his eyes to widen at the people rushing back and forth in a panic. Donghyuck reaches back and offers his hand that Mark grips securely as the two make their way towards the bar. It’s even more packed the further they get across the City Hall. A sinking feeling pulls at Mark as he follows the fighter through the crowd of people to the front. He frowns when Donghyuck drops his hand suddenly only to look forward and feel his heart drop.

The bar was destroyed. Glasses were shattered, plates had been kicked and smashed, and stools were scattered across the marble floors. The assailants were men dressed in all black holding bats, wearing the familiar black jackets with silver sleeves. Sitting on the bar with his legs crossed was Ten in a silk black button-down and black jeans. His blond hair was styled neatly and the smirk on his lips made Mark shiver.

“Just the person we were waiting for.” He says as soon as he spots Donghyuck, “Now we can have some real fun!”

Standing in front of the manager was Yukhei. His golden jacket seemed brighter than usual beneath the chandelier lights and it was hard not to miss the apprehension on his face.

“Ten, what the hell are you doing?” Johnny speaks up from where he’s holding Doyoung back by a grip on the other manager’s arm.

“This will be my city soon, so I thought I would start making some changes to it.” The blond manager sneers, grabbing one of the unscathed bottles from the bar before standing on top of it to address the City Hall, “Starting tonight the annual championship celebration is going to bring the championships to you early. Since tonight is about celebrating fighting, we thought we’d bring one to you that you don’t have to pay to see at the arena. If you want to know who Seochu’s real champion is, I suggest you pay _close_ attention.”

Mark feels his breath hitch with nerves. He watches Donghyuck step forward only for the person beside him to whisk out their hand, knocking the brunet in the ribcage with a crushing force. They grab Donghyuck the moment he doubles over in pain, pushing him forward. When they reach the open space, the brunet is shoved to the ground, knees hitting the marble floors roughly.

“Sorry.” Hendery looks down at Donghyuck with a small smirk, “I hope I didn’t hit a sensitive spot.”

Hendery’s dark hair was styled neatly, and he wore all black similar to the rest of the assailants. His jacket reminded Mark of Xiaojun’s, all black with red sleeves and white stripes. Mark takes in the way the dark-haired fighter looks down on Donghyuck and his stomach twists. A hand on his back nearly makes him jump. He looks over to find Renjun standing there, motioning for him to duck behind the crowd. Mark frowns. Would they target him too? The brunet’s hands are on his shoulders, pushing him down and leaving him with no choice but to peer around the person in front of him.

“Here’s to a real championship celebration.” Ten says, holding up the bottle in his hands with an amused smirk, “Cheers!”

He toasts with the imaginary figure beside him before taking a swig from the bottle. Hendery smiles at the sight, clearly just as amused. Yukhei stands in front of Donghyuck as the brunet coughs before pushing himself to his feet. He wipes at his mouth, eyes drawn to the ground. Mark glances down only to feel his heart drop at the sight of the blood staining the marble floors.

Slowly, Donghyuck lifts his head. He smiles, blood staining the corner of his mouth before he draws his fist back.

Mark blinks, and Seochu’s City Hall erupts in _chaos_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! As promised, here's the bonus update for this week. Just in time for sunshine boy's birthday!! (happy birthday to haechan) ❤❤ honored to share the same birthday month with this legend 
> 
> A lot has happened in this chapter and I'm really excited/curious to hear your thoughts. Mark officially has his Kick It look. Also, the jackets (same style as the Kick It jackets) that they're wearing are as follows:
> 
> Gold – (with medal pinned) champion/ (with roman numerals) championship nominee
> 
> White with red stripes/sleeves – Former EMT or Paramedic/Current EMT or Paramedic
> 
> Black with silver sleeves – Regular fighter
> 
> Black with red sleeves/white stripes – ???
> 
> I'm going on a retreat Tuesday for my birthday and I don't think I'll be able to bring my laptop. But I'll work on another update as soon as I get back! 
> 
> Also, I just want to say that there's a lot going on in the world right now, so I hope everyone is taking care of themselves and their mental health. Please take time for yourselves, and if things get too overwhelming, it's okay to take a break. Please take care of yourselves and thank you so much for reading! ❤❤❤❤


	11. Championship Matches II.

“We need to get out of here.”

With wide eyes, Mark takes in the chaos of Seochu’s City Hall. The moment Donghyuck’s fist slammed into Hendery’s face seemed to initiate a new fight, one that involved half of the city. Sides were chosen at the splatter of Hendery’s blood on the marble floors. From the first night he arrived in Seochu, Mark had wondered what it was like to be inside the ring. But, as he now stood among the mass of people grabbing each other, hiking sharp knees into stomachs, crushing solid knuckles into sensitive flesh, he no longer has to imagine. The smell of freshly drawn blood, sweat, and the sting of glass from shattered bottles has his heartbeat echoing in his ears. Donghyuck’s arm is wrapped tightly around Hendery’s neck as he pulls the disoriented fighter to the ground before the pair are enveloped in the sea of fighting men.

“Mark” Renjun’s panicked voice returns him to the situation at hand, “We need to leave, now.”

With the brunet tugging on his hand, Mark snaps out of his shock. He nods, heart beating loudly in his chest as Renjun pulls him through the crowd. He just barely steps out of the way to avoid being charged by an assailant in all black. Mark winces when one of Ten’s men crashes into another fighter, bodies colliding in a heap of knuckle and fists. When he looks up from the tussling pair, it’s to catch a glimpse of the bar where Ten stood, watching the chaos with a proud smirk. The manager is just about to take another sip from the bottle in his hands when his eyes widen suddenly. Doyoung, finally free from Johnny’s grasp, grabs the blond’s leg, pulling him down.

Ten’s pained shout when his back hits the bar roughly is drowned out by the crowd. The blond slips from the bar just in time to avoid a punch from Doyoung. Mark watches as the blond manager shoves his way through the fighting bodies in an attempt to escape the dark-haired manager, but Doyoung simply gives chase. He could see Donghyuck slamming his knee into Hendery’s ribcage, Jaemin and Jeno taking down a small group of assailants, and Johnny, one of the few safe from the aggression overwhelming the City Hall, chasing after Doyoung and Ten with Jaehyun and Jungwoo clinging closely to his back. He’s so busy staring and trying to make sense of it all that he doesn’t realize Renjun has stopped until he nearly bumps into the brunet.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” He blurts out in concern, taking in Renjun’s wide eyes with a frown.

He follows the brunet’s line of sight only for his heart to _drop_. One of Ten’s assailants was headed right for them, a blond shoving his way through the crowd with menacing dark eyes. Even if they turned around and pushed their way back through the crowd, the blond would catch them. Mark is no fighter, but he’s knows it’s better to see your opponent coming than to be victim to an attack from behind, even if it were expected. Though Renjun could often be seen play fighting at the apartment with the others, the brunet seemed to freeze up at the sight of the approaching blond. Mark isn’t sure what possesses him to, but before he knows it, he’s pulling the other boy behind him.

He isn’t a fighter, he reminds himself. The first time he had been in actual physical altercation had been his first night in Seochu in which he had squirmed and done his best to cover his face. He had never made an effort to hit his attackers back and he’d never punched or hit anyone before, not outside of wrestling with Jeno and Jaehyun when they were younger. But the blond was closing in fast and he had to act quickly. He knows it’s a risk and all he has to rely on is hope and what little strength he has when he draws his fist back.

He thinks of Jeno and Donghyuck in the ring, the way their hits seemed to connect with fluid ease. But he’s not trained and as soon as the blond is before him, prepared to wrap hands around his neck, there’s no choice left but to strike. It was surreal, watching his fist collide with the blond’s nose, feeling the cartilage crack against his knuckles. The blond is sent skittering back from the force, crashing into the arms of another assailant. His hands fly to his face, gripping his nose as a steady pool of crimson leaks from the broken flesh, staining his pale hands.

“Holy shit, you broke his nose!” Renjun gasps from behind him, and Mark is left to wonder if he’s dreaming or not. But then the brunet is grabbing his hand and ushering him along once more, “We can celebrate later, let’s go.”

They maneuver their way through the fighting bodies once more, alternating between ducking punches and jumping over wrestling forms. More than once, Mark is sent tumbling back from a shove intended for someone else and Renjun is nearly trampled by a stumbling fighter. By the time they arrive at the dance floor, Mark feels as if he’s surrounded by shadows. Flashes of curled fist and bruises bathed in dark blue lighting, pained groans and growls of aggression flooding his ears. Relief fills him at the sight of a familiar path. He tugs on Renjun’s hand, leading the brunet towards the door he had escaped to with Donghyuck mere minutes before.

There’s the brief flash of darkness before Mark reaches out, hands brushing against the solid doorframe. He pushes the door open, pulling Renjun into the hallway. The sole light bulb flickers, bathing their skin in neon red hues as their eyes narrow in on the exit in the distance. Then, there’s the sound of their labored breathing and the rapid beating of his heart as they run towards it. Fighting from the main hall fades into a distant echo and before he knows it, they’ve reached the exit door. Renjun pushes open the latch before shoving the door open and ushering Mark into the night. The first breath of fresh air is enough to calm the unsteady beating of his heart. He turns around only to frown at the sight of Renjun lingering in the doorway.

“You should be safe here.” The brunet says, filling Mark with dread, “I have to go back for Hyuck and the others.”

“Renjun-“ Mark starts, reaching for the other boy. He wants to insist that they go back together, but it’s clear by the way the brunet backs away quickly that there was no changing the other boy’s mind.

Renjun slams the door shut and the sound of the latch sliding back into place seconds later leaves Mark standing there in shock, unsure of what to do next. Once his shock dies down, he turns away from the locked door, racking his mind for a way to help from the outside. He knew that returning to the City Hall was risky, especially after all he and Renjun had done to ensure his safety. But the anxiety of not knowing would eat away at him just as quickly. He looks around at the alleyway around him, the sole dumpster and the rough grovel illuminated beneath the moonlight.

He realizes then that he could sneak around to the front and keep an eye out for the others. He’s just about to head in the direction he believes leads to the front entrance when a scoff makes him freeze. He looks around the alleyway slowly only for him to swallow thickly at the sight of a familiar figure. Yukhei has one hand on the building beside him for support while his other curls into a fist. His face was clear of any bruises or scratches, signaling his early escape from the chaos. But the subtle shaking of his hands and the dark set to his eyes told Mark that he was suffering from a different fight.

“Now would be the perfect time for you to leave.” The fighter’s voice is quiet as his eyes narrow in on Mark, “Hyuck is expecting you to go back to Seoul any day now. We all are, so why don’t you save us the trouble and catch the next train back home?”

“Why should I?” It slips out before he can stop himself, and he realizes, with distant dread, that is sounds almost condescending and the effect is almost immediate.

“Because you don’t belong here!” Yukhei shouts, voice echoing in the alleyway. He pushes away from the wall, anxiety and turmoil long forgotten as he steps closer with dark eyes, “You can stay here for as long as you want but you’ll never be one of us. You’re some rich kid from the surface, what do you know about fighting for a better life? Hyuck has a crush but that’s all it will ever be because I’m always going to be first. If I decided to take him back, you would no longer exist in Seochu. It’s always going to be us two. Donghyuck and Yukhei, nothing will change that.”

Mark knows it’s true. Seochu, Donghyuck, and Yukhei were so closely intertwined that there seemed to be no beginning to their end. They were inseparable, held together by years of the past and an uncertain future lingering in the ring. Mark’s few weeks in Seochu by Donghyuck’s side paled in comparison. Their seeds were freshly sown while things between Donghyuck and Yukhei seemed to have bloomed and wilted before Donghyuck could make sense of the dying petals. But Mark doesn’t want to be like Yukhei. He isn’t afraid of what might blossom in Seochu for him with Donghyuck.

“You’re right. Nothing will change.” Mark admits quietly, eyes drawn to the ground before they flicker up with a sudden intensity, “Because it’s clear that you’re just going to leave him _again_ -“

Mark is expecting for Yukhei to yell at him, for the fighter to shout that he doesn’t understand Seochu or his relationship with Donghyuck. Instead, he barely has time to blink when the other boy _charges_ at him. Mark flinches at the feeling of a solid body colliding with his and burning sensation in his back when it slams against the rough gravel. Yukhei is brute strength that crushes Mark almost instantly, kneeing him in the stomach and grabbing his neck with suffocating force. The dark-haired boys’ eyes widen at the sight of the fighter’s fist drawn back. He squeezes his eyes shut, preparing himself for what’s to come. Instead, the sound of Yukhei’s heavy, shaky breathing fills the otherwise silent alleyway. Mark opens his eyes slowly to find another hand wrapped around the brunet’s fist.

“Donghyuck would never forgive you.” Xiaojun says quietly, “Hendery is bleeding and Yangyang’s arm is broken. We need to leave, _now_.” 

At the mention of Donghyuck, Yukhei’s hand shakes before dropping entirely. The brunet’s eyes soften slowly, and he releases his hold on Mark’s neck. His knee slides away from the other boy’s stomach as he pushes himself to his feet. Xiaojun wraps an arm around the other fighter’s waist, leading him in the direction of the entrance. He glances back at Mark, frowning in concern before disappearing out of the alleyway with a conflicted Yukhei.

Silence falls over the alleyway in their absence in which Mark sits up slowly He winces at the pain in his back and the burning sensation from Yukhei’s tight grip. The dark-haired boy ghosts his fingers over his neck, hoping that there would be no bruises for him to cover the next day. He pushes himself to his feet, stumbling at the dizzy sensation that hits him suddenly. But he quickly regains his focus and footing at the sound of the latch being removed. The exit door opens seconds later to reveal Jeno. His hair was disheveled, and his face was flushed, the only signs of his involvement in the scuffle.

“Are you okay?” His cousin asks, looking him over, “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Mark replies, raising a brow.

He watches as Jeno smiles sheepishly, pulling back the sleeve of his jacket to reveal deep, purple bruising on pale skin.

“I think I broke my wrist.” The dark-haired boy admits, the moonlight illuminating the odd twist of the limb before he glances at Mark, “But don’t say anything. I don’t want Nana to worry.”

“You do remember what happened last time you kept something from him, right Jeno?” Is Mark’s response as he follows his cousin back into the building. The door slams shut behind them and they’re bathed in the dark red neon lighting of the hallway as he awaits the younger’s reply.

“I know, but there are more important things to worry about right now, hyung.” Jeno tells him finally, and even in the dim lighting of the hallway, it’s hard not to miss the troubled look in the other’s boys’ eyes when he admits quietly, “We have a bloodbath on our hands.”

Mark frowns, heart racing as his mind wanders to Donghyuck. Xiaojun had said that Hendery was bleeding. Did that mean that Donghyuck had fared better or worse? The idea of not knowing makes Mark pick up his pace the slightest bit. Jeno opens the door for him, and he all but rushes through only to freeze at what he sees. City Hall was covered in _blood_. It was everywhere, staining the marble floors and smudged against the walls. Mark makes his way towards the bar, nearly slipping on the crimson liquid. Jeno reaches out and grabs his hand, guiding them towards the others.

Doyoung is standing beside the bar, stiff with tension as Jungwoo wraps his bruised knuckles. Renjun could be seen carefully picking shards of glass out of Jaemin’s arm. Jaehyun occupied the only untouched space on the bar with Johnny’s jacket wrapped around his shoulders while the trainer ran fingers through his hair in a mixture of shock and stress. In the midst of it all, Donghyuck is crouched over the marble floors, fist stained crimson and eyes downcast with darkness that said that even victory was heavy in the underground.

“Minhyung, you’re okay.” Jaehyun is the first one to greet him, smiling pleasantly despite the situation.

He ushers his younger cousin over, and Mark stumbles toward him in a daze with the help of Jeno. At the mention of his name, Donghyuck’s gaze snaps in his direction, shoulders tense, but when he sees no visible injuries, he returns to wiping at the blood on his knuckles with a distant look. 

“I’m fine, hyung.” Mark assures as Jaehyun wraps his arms around him, “I’m glad you’re okay too.”

“Welcome back to Seochu for a second time.” Jeno tells their older cousin, still bitter about him sneaking into the underground, “I imagine it’s going to be your last time too-“

“Of course not! I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is one of the wildest parties I’ve ever been to, but I liked it.” Jaehyun tells him with a small grin, “It was like being in an action movie.”

“Well, it’s going to turn into a drama real soon.” Johnny speaks up, looking around the ruined City Hall before sighing, “If this gets back to the owner and the investors, we’re screwed. And considering Chittaphon’s golden child is going to need stitches, it’s definitely going to get back to them. Having a fight this huge outside of the ring means that there’s going to be some changes made inside of the ring. People will be stripped of titles and the championships…”

The trainer trails off, shaking his head. But in the silence that follows, even Mark is able to fill in the gaps.

“They won’t cancel it.” Doyoung speaks up, staring at his freshly wrapped hand, “It’s too close and it’s the cities greatest source of income.”

“They won’t cancel it, but they will interfere with its operation. They’ve had Yukhei fight and win the title before, only to strip him of it that same week. They could do the same to Hyuck and make double the amount if he had to compete again to earn it back.” Johnny informs them. His words make Doyoung clench his fist, Jungwoo softly scolding him about ruining his bandages. “Which is why I need to get to the hospital as soon as I can with the best bouquet of flowers Sunny’s has to offer so I can _pretend_ that I care about Chittaphon’s delinquent feelings, and hopefully, we can find a way to spin this in our favor.”

“Thank you.” Doyoung says quietly, dark eyes shining with sincerity beneath the bright chandelier’s lights, “You don’t have to help, but you do… and I’m not sure what I would do without you.”

“We’re friends, Doyoung. I want to do everything that I can for you.” Johnny tells him, making the dark-haired manager smile, a small expression that relieves the exhaustion evident on his face. The trainer digs his key out of his pocket before glancing at Jaehyun, “Want to come with? You look like you can pick out a mean set of roses and I need the best in the city if I’m going to convince the brat to not make everyone’s lives more of a living hell than they already are.”

“Sure.” Jaehyun is quick to agree, jumping down from the bar with a smile that reveals his dimples, “I have a really good eye for beautiful things.”

Mark watches as Jaehyun pats the trainer on the shoulder as he passes. Johnny raises a brow in return before following the brunet out of the City Hall.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Jeno mutters, faking a disgusted look. Mark shakes his head despite his own amused grin.

“Why? They’re cute.” Jaemin speaks up, letting out a wistful sigh, “I wish someone liked me that much-“

“For the love of God-“ Renjun interrupts, grabbing the brunet by the shoulders and shaking him, “-open your eyes man!”

Jeno has the decency to be amused and Jaemin complains about the room starting to spin while Jungwoo and Mark smile knowingly. It’s Doyoung who clears his throat, straightening with a serious expression.

“We need to get out of here.” The manager announces, though the sound of footsteps has them looking over to find Donghyuck already wandering off.

“Where are you going?” Jeno calls out after him with a worried look.

They watch as the fighter stops in his tracks suddenly, turning around slowly.

“I’m going _home_ , Jeno.” Donghyuck’s voice cracks the faintest bit and its hard not to miss the damp glimmer in his eyes before he turns away.

Mark figured that the other boy had probably wanted to be left alone, but soon, he found himself being nudged in the brunet’s direction by Jeno who gives him a look that says to quickly catch up to the fighter. He opens his mouth to protest only for his cousin to shove him until he finds himself sliding across the bloody floor.

“H-Hyuck, wait-“ He blurts out, avoiding smudges of blood and broken glass to chase after the brunet.

At the sound of his voice, Donghyuck stops, turning around to hold out his hand. When he gets close enough, Mark places his hand atop the brunet’s, feeling his heart begin to race when the fighter grips his hand tightly before turning and pulling him along. Together, they leave behind the bloody celebration at Seochu’s City Hall.

_______________________

Taeyong greets them that night with a tired smile. At the sight of Donghyuck’s bloody knuckles, the older man immediately begins to fuss, wandering off in search of his first aid kit. He returns with a groggy looking Taeil and ushers them into the dining room before rushing off to the kitchen. Over the warmth broth of the ramen that Taeyong forces them to eat, Mark watches Taeil wrap Donghyuck’s bruised fists. The older man was timid about conversing with the fighter. He seemed to avoid the events that occurred at the city hall entirely.

Instead, Taeil spoke about things that seemed meaningless given the circumstances – Soobin’s latest antics, Taeyong nearly burning down their kitchen the week before, and Donghyuck’s job at Sunny’s. But it worked. With each gentle smile from Taeil and mouthfuls of noodles, the tension surrounding Donghyuck seemed to ease the slightest bit. But the spark that once surrounded brunet seemed to have disappeared entirely in a flicker, buried and forgotten in the bloody city hall. Eventually, Taeil and Taeyong send them upstairs to rest.

Donghyuck’s hold on Mark’s hand is still firm despite the way the fighter’s shoulders seemed to sag with exhaustion. They climb the stairs to the second floor of the orphanage and it’s in the darkness of the hallway that Donghyuck turns to him suddenly.

“What happened?” The brunet asks suddenly.

Mark isn’t sure how he’s managed to forget the other boy’s perceptiveness. The fighter’s voice is quiet, but the shift in his eyes was hard to miss, even in the darkness. When the brunet reaches out a hand to touch him, Mark panics. His mind wanders to Yukhei’s suffocating hold in the alleyway and he wonders if his neck has suffered bruises from the encounter. But then, relief fills him when the fighter grips his hand instead, running fingers gently over his knuckles. It’s with embarrassment that he remembers the fighter whose nose he had broken just hours earlier.

“I think I broke someone’s nose.” He admits with a sheepish look.

“You hit someone?” Donghyuck blurts out with an exaggerated look before he grins, raising an eyebrow as he jokes, “Are you practicing for the championships?”

“I think I’ll leave that to you and Yukhei.” Mark tells him, rolling his eyes at the other boy.

But he immediately regrets it when the other boy’s amusement dies down instantly. Donghyuck’s smile is replaced with a conflicted expression, and Mark wishes he wouldn’t forget how fragile the fighter was beneath his outspoken persona.

“I can’t do it.” Donghyuck’s voice is quiet, and Mark nearly misses it even in the silent hallway. The fighter ducks his head, eyes downcast when he mutters, “I can’t fight him, and I can’t win.”

“Donghyuck-“ Mark starts because it made the worst parts of him ache, hearing the other boy sound so defeated.

“I want them to give up on me… Seochu, Doyoung hyung, Renjun and the others. I want them to just give up on me. I let them believe in me for so long because I thought I could give them something to believe in. But it’s useless. I’m useless so they should just give up.” Donghyuck whispers and when his gaze snaps up, it’s hard not to miss the dampness in his dark eyes when they land on Mark, “And so should you. Go home, surface boy, and don’t come back. Seochu isn’t worth it.”

_And neither am I._

Donghyuck releases his hand, hesitating before turning away. Mark realizes he should reach out and stop the fighter. There are so many things he wants to say. That Donghyuck was more than worth it. That he wouldn’t give up, not when he saw something worth believing in. But he’s too overwhelmed. The emotions that consume him choke him up with an iron grip that reminds him of Yukhei and the cold, dark alleyway.

He freezes up, unsure and disappointed in himself because of it. It burns and aches, watching Donghyuck walk away from him and whatever was starting to develop between them. But helplessness held him back, leaving him to stand in the dark hallway alone. Mark ghosts fingers over his neck and the bruises on his knuckles, feels the ache in his heart, and then, he turns to leave. He wouldn’t leave Seochu. Instead, he would return to the apartment to check on Jeno and the others. He stumbles his way through the dark hallway, only to jump slightly when he finds himself bumping into a solid body.

“Mark hyung?” He squints at the sight of Soobin, who’s rubbing his eyes tiredly. He recognizes the smearing around the younger’s mouth as chocolate, evidence of the smaller boy’s late-night adventure to the kitchen. “What are you doing? We can’t be out of bed past nine or the big, scary dragon will get us!”

Mark smiles prepared to tell the younger that he was leaving. But he can only blink before Soobin is grabbing his hand and pulling him along. He allows the younger to guide him along through the darkness to a room nearby. Mark squints in the darkness to find the floor covered in dolls and toy cars.

On one bed, Soobin’s twin, Soojin could be seen, sprawled out among princess sheets. Soobin’s bed, shaped like a race car, is empty before the younger boy plops down on it tiredly. Beside it was another race car bed that Mark found himself climbing into, curling into himself so that he could fit. He watches as Soobin rolls over on his back, rubbing his stomach with a satisfied, groggy smile.

“Soobin” He calls out softly, listening as the younger hums in the darkness. Mark’s mind wanders to Donghyuck and the ache of seeing the other boy walk away from it all, making him murmur a quiet, “Donghyuck is…”

He’s not sure what to make of it all, but Soobin, seconds away from giving in to sleep, seems to already have the answer.

“My hero…” The younger trails off as exhaustion wears on him. Soobin turns on his side then, leaving Mark to stare at the back of his Spiderman pajamas. But in the silence of the night, it’s hard to miss his quiet whisper of, “…and Seochu’s hero too.”

The younger’s soft, even breathing fills the room then, signaling that Soobin was now fast asleep. Mark stares up at the night lights on the ceiling as his own exhaustion finally catches up with him. He thinks of how, before Seochu, many of his nights were spent alone, pouring over papers or wasting time away in solitude. But now, he could look forward to going down to Seochu as soon as he had free time.

He looked forward to Renjun’s spontaneity, Jaemin’s warmth and patience, and mellow gaming nights with Jisung. But most importantly, he anticipated Donghyuck’s loudness, the warmth when they were just two bodies huddled together at night, and the energy that seemed to radiate from the fighter’s very being. Donghyuck had made it that much easier for Mark to figure himself out. He had saved Mark from a lifetime of pretending. In a way, he was Mark’s hero too. And the thought brings a small smile to Mark’s lips as he blinks tiredly before drifting off into a world of darkness.

_______________________

When Mark awakes, it’s to Soobin and Soojin arguing over whether they would wear purple or orange that day. Luckily, Taeyong seemed more than used to their morning routine. The older man had shown up with matching yellow outfits, which quickly put an end to the twin’s disagreement. He also shows up with an old hoodie and a pair of jeans for Mark before hurrying off with a line of hungry children behind him. Mark showers and gets ready for the day in a daze, the events of last night replaying in his mind like a bad dream.

Breakfast at the orphanage is just as chaotic as mornings at the apartment with Renjun and the others. Soobin incites multiple food fights and Soojin turns the pancakes made by Taeyong into a concoction that even Renjun would be afraid of. But Mark can’t help but to smile despite it all. He volunteers to help Taeyong wash dishes after breakfast and it’s when he’s drying off a plate that the elder gently informs him that, almost every day, Soobin and Soojin reminded him of Donghyuck and Yukhei. It hits Mark then that he hasn’t seen Donghyuck that morning. But Taeyong kindly informs him that the fighter was out “taking a walk with Taeil”, which most likely meant an early morning trip to the clinic.

Once the dishes are clean, Mark wanders outside with the rest of the children, where Soobin forces him into several games of tag and hide and seek. He decides to see shelter on a swing set. He swings his legs aimlessly, the exhaustion of the disaster at city hall lingering despite a full night’s sleep. Mark closes his eyes and wishes Donghyuck were beside him, all brightness and warmth, making the roughest parts of Seochu worth it. But when he opens his eyes, the swing beside him is empty. Mark sighs, closing his eyes once more only to frown at the sound of the swing creaking. His eyes slip open once more and he finds himself staring at Jeno’s tired smile.

“How are you feeling?” His cousin asks quietly.

“I’m fine, Jeno.” He replies, glancing at his cousins’ wrist to find it neatly wrapped. He knew there was no point in asking Jeno the same question since the younger seemed intent on convincing everyone that he was fine. As if sensing his gaze on the broken wrist, Jeno’s face flushes. 

“Nana figured it out this morning. He called Jungwoo to take a look at it, and now he’s ignoring me. But I guess I deserve it.” His cousin explains with a sheepish smile before his face turns somewhat somber and he asks, almost hesitantly, “How’s Hyuck?”

Mark hesitates as well, unsure of where to start.

“He…” He mutters quietly, gaze drifting to the ground when he admits, “He wants us to give up on him, Jeno.”

“Well don’t!” Jeno exclaims suddenly, and when Mark looks over, he isn’t used to seeing such a serious expression on his cousin’s face, “ _Don’t_. Everyone has given up on him, hyung. Yukhei, his parents… He likes you because you keep coming back and that means something to him. Maybe you think he’s worth coming back for.”

Jeno gives him a knowing smile that makes Mark look away, warmth flooding his face. His cousin’s loud laughter fills his ears then. He reaches over and punches the other boy gently on the arm, and once Jeno’s laughter has died down, they fall into a comfortable silence. The pair swing aimlessly in the calm morning until Mark finds himself skidding to a stop. He squints at the sight of Doyoung and Johnny emerging from the orphanage. It was rare to see the trainer and manager together unless the circumstances were more serious. Doyoung’s face is worn down by stress and even Johnny seems to have abandoned his easy-going demeanor for a more serious expression.

“Oh yeah, hyung, the real reason I came is to tell you about the plan.” Jeno says suddenly, turning to him with an embarrassed smile at being forgetful.

“What plan?” Mark asks, suddenly feeling uneasy. The lack of Donghyuck’s presence made him feel more anxious about the unknown than usual.

“Well, let’s just say we weren’t wrong to be suspicious about Jisung’s friend. Jungwoo overheard at the hospital that they’re planning to move Jisung and his friend out of the hospital soon.” Jeno informs him, making Mark frown in confusion.

“Move them to where?” He finds himself asking.

“We don’t know.” His cousin tells him, hesitating to rub the back of his neck nervously before blurting out, “Which is why we need to sneak them out of the hospital, _tonight_.”

Mark’s eyes widen and when he looks over, he takes in Doyoung and Johnny’s all black attires and the firm set to their features as they talk with each other, and he realizes that there was still so much buried beneath the surface that even the bloodbath at city hall had failed to reveal in its entirety. Mark knows that he needs to be patient in uncovering the pieces of Seochu’s puzzle. But he can’t help the sinking feeling that courses through him as he realizes that tonight would be different. Things were changing in Seochu. Now it was a matter of making sure they changed in their favor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It's been so long since I have updated this. I am so so sorry to my readers + the people who enjoyed this fic! The short explanation for my disappearance is that I recently moved to a new country in July and it has been a very long adjustment process! But I am somewhat settled in now. I hope people are still willing to read this though it's been so long since I've updated! Also, sorry if this chapter isn't that great, I had a little difficulty getting back into the flow of writing again but I hope this was still enjoyable. Thank you for all of the love/support on Glory and Gore! : )


End file.
